Astral Minds
by Morden Night
Summary: Ranma is a powerful Psychic/Telekinetic! The brotherhood is after his powers.
1. Powers of the Mind unparalelled

Okay here is my next idea

Okay here is my next idea. I will continue this one for sure but I just want to get it onto my site for everyone to see so that they know what else is to come later on. If you like the idea though don't hesitate to tell me. 

You can e-mail me at: anime_morden@crystal-tokyo.com

Here we go:

Astral Minds

This is a crossover with Ranma ½, Ultimate X-Men,. I don't know much about sailor moon but I will learn for the sake of the story. Either that or I'll just forget about Sailor moon and find something else out in it's place. I love C&C so E-Mail me!

Astral Minds

Disclaimer: Ranma ½ and all related characters do not belong to me. None of the X-Men belong to me either.

* *: Thoughts

Capital letters: Shouting or loud noises

{ }: Author's own thoughts

_ _: Stressed words

[ ]: Chinese Language

(~ ~): Psychic Projections

Chapter 1

Powers of The Mind Unparalleled 

Professor Charles Xavier, of the Xavier institute for gifted youngsters, located in Westchester New York, sat in the Library of the X-Mansion. Xavier had just finished using Cerebro to locate new mutants.

He had much success, and had found out some very important information concerning powerful mutants.

Charles sent out a psychic message to all of his students. (~ Scott, Jean, Hank, Peter, Bobby, Ororo, Logan. Come to the Library immediately. ~)

A Minute later all of the students called rushed into the Library where Charles sat in his wheelchair. They were all wearing clothes that looked like leather but wasn't. One student with a ruby quartz visor named Scott Summers, also known as Cyclops, spoke first. "What is it Professor?"

All present voiced the exact same question in their own minds. Although Professor Xavier and Jean Grey, also known as Marvel Girl, were the only ones who knew that for a fact. "It's simple enough Scott." Said Xavier, "I have located many Mutants today across the entire world. But…"

"But?!!" Bobby cut in. "But's usually bad news." 

Xavier put up a hand to shush all his students. "Please Bobby wait for me to finish before you come to your own conclusions."

"Sorry Professor." Bobby said.

"Thank you. Now as I was saying I have located many mutants today across the entire world, but there is one that stands out above the rest. This mutant is located in Juuban Japan. I haven't a clue as to what his or her power is but I can guess that that person has very good abilities in telepathy because there is something jamming my ability to enter that person's mind to find out. He has some sort of mental barrier."

"Can you at least tell if he's has good or bad intentions" Jean asked.

The professor shook his head. "No Jean I can't. That is one of the reasons why you must go there to find out. If his intentions are good then bringing him back to join the team might be the best choice. We cannot let the brotherhood get this Mutant. He's very powerful."

The group nodded and exited the room heading towards the hanger.

*********

(11 years ago in Juuban Japan.)

A younger Genma and Nodoka Saotome sat in the living room of the Saotome household. Each had a cup of tea in front of them on the table that they were sitting at. Ranma could be heard in the background playing with some of his toys.

"Nodoka you have to let me take Ranma on a training journey! He takes to Martial Arts like a fish to water!" Genma said to his wife. Nodoka set her tea down and glared at her husband, but Genma didn't relent his verbal assault. "He 's got three styles mastered and he's only at the age of five. It's a gift! You must let me take the boy!"

Nodoka put her hand up in a silencing gesture. "Genma how do I know that you will properly care for him while he's on the road? He's only five years old! According to you _you_ didn't even go on your first training trip with the master until you were at least ten years old."

"But this is different!" Genma protested only to be cut of by his wife a moment later.

"_How_ is this different Genma!?" She asked with fury only half concealed in her voice. 

"He's special! He has a talent for martial arts that even the master never had! The master had started at about the age of 16 and look where he is now! Ranma is twice as good at picking up martial arts moves that he'll be as good as the master by my age!" Genma retaliated. 

Nodoka fumed. She knew she was on the losing side of their verbal battle and she didn't like it as far as she knew Genma would get him and his son into trouble. And who knew when he would be back. An idea came to Nodoka at that point. One that would satisfy both parents. 

"Okay Genma. You may take Ranma on a training trip." Genma smiled wide thinking that he had won his first ever argument with his wife. "_But_" said Nodoka, and Genma frowned. But was bad. But usually meant terms and consequences. Nodoka continued. "You must train Ranma not only to be a martial artist but also to be a man among men. You must write to me every week on his progress in both fields and you must visit me on the tenth of every month so that I may see for myself."

Genma pondered the terms carefully (which is a task that does not occur to him often). All he had to do was write a letter once a week and visit once a month. He didn't see any problem in that. "And the consequences?" He asked.

Nodoka thought about it for a second. She hadn't considered any consequences and probably wouldn't have had her husband not brought it up just now. "you will never be allowed to train Ranma again and I will divorce you."

Genma knew his wife very well and he knew that she did not lie she meant it and he knew it. Genma thought about that for a minute. He had two choices: a) stay at home and train Ranma or: b) Take Ranma on a long training trip. a) didn't sound all that good to him. Ranma would be able to learn much more outside the house.

Genma reluctantly agreeed.

*********

Little did either parent know that the subject of their conversation although not within hearing distance was listening in on their conversation and was hearing the words that were not spoken between them.

Ranma had developed telepathy at an early age of one and a half years old. He was also now slowly developing telekinetic powers he realised early on also that he had to hide his powers from people because people were afraid of things that weren't normal. And he didn't want people to make fun of him or hurt him because of it.

His powers were very good for learning Martial Arts. He was able to go into his Fathers mind and pick out the most important aspects of the lesson. He was able to pick out all of the hidden meanings and apply them. He was also learning to go into other teacher's minds and learn from them as well. Ranma was able to read minds all across Juuban and even into some of the neighbouring districts. He had learned more in his short life than most people do by the time they are 20.

Ranma knew what he was. He was a mutant. He had learned that from a few of the minds he had read during one of his daily activities. Many of the people were hurt badly just because of _what_ they were. That's one of the reasons Ranma hid his power, and the main reason why he was learning martial arts from his father.

He was looking forward to his training trip. he enjoyed learning the art. Young Ranma also was looking forward to the trip so that maybe he could meet some other mutants, and learn to use his new power better.

Now it looked like he was going to get his trip.

************

(One Year Later)

Ranma stood before a pit with a large wooden door over it. Ranma could feel hundreds of tiny mental cries for food from within. He knew that they were cats because they were yowling and that wasn't a sound that humans made to often. All that was on the minds of the cats was food and Ranma felt terrible about it. He had already read his fathers mind and knew what he was going to be using all of those cats for and he didn't like it. Ranma had gone into Genma's mind several times now and he had begun likeing the man less and less with each passing day.

All that ever seemed to be on his mind was early retirement. Ranma knew what that was solely because of the daily mind readings he gave Genma. Genma had plans for many different training techniques that Ranma was sure were not in any way safe. Ranma had also been practising on putting mental projections into other peoples mind and so far he had been able to make his father stick around to pay for some of the bills he ran up at some of the restaurants.

Ranma had seen that Genma had been planning to skip out on the bill or come up with some sort of scheme to get out of paying and Ranma had mentally forced him to pay the bill. He found that controlling Genma was not a very hard thing to do. He was very weak minded and very fearful of consequence.

Ranma's power limits had increased drastically and he was able to read all minds within a 24 kilometre radius. He had used that power to learn all that he could from martial artists of all kinds, mutants, and just your average teachers. He tried to stay out of certain areas of peoples minds though. Some people were gross.

Genma was explaining to Ranma how the Neko-ken is learned but Ranma had already reviewed the '_lesson_' from his fathers mind. He also knew through common sense that the cats would attack him the moment they smelled the fish. Ranma had decided to play along with his fathers idiocy but he had a plan. 

Ranma had been working on a certain mind technique that he came up with when his Pop was being questioned by a police man, and another one was waiting around the corner for Genma to run away. Ranma was able to read single minds, and several minds at once and was able to project images, feelings, and words into other peoples heads. So why couldn't he project images, feelings, and words into several peoples minds at once. 

If He hadn't have though of that little mind stunt than his father would have been in jail by now. Ranma didn't know if the technique would work on animals but it was worth a shot. Besides, if it failed than he could just use his powers of telekinesis on them.

Genma raved on about the art and the power of the Neko-ken. "Now Ranma do you understand the training?" Ranma nodded as if having had to repeated it several times. 

"Yeah, I go into the pit and learn the neko-ken." Ranma said as he rolled his eyes at his father who was too stupid to notice, or didn't care. 

"Right!" Genma replied as he opened the lid and dropped the fish sausage wrapped boy into the pit of starved cats.

************

Ranma landed gracefully from his fall into the pit. His martial arts skills were far greater than his age would suggest. He looked around himself and he could see many glowing yellow eyes in the darkness. He stopped them all from pouncing on him with a short mental message. He was pleased to see that all of the cats stopped in their tracks and sat down. 

"Good kitties." Ranma said as he unwrapped the fish sausage from himself and threw it towards the cats. No sooner had the food hit the ground then the cats jumped on it all at once tearing at it with claws and teeth pushing each other out of the way and even attacking each other just to get a morsel of food. 

Ranma frown and pulled all of the cats away from the sausage using his telekinesis. The food had barely been touched. All of the cats were to busy trying to get to it first they hadn't gotten a chance to eat any of it. Ranma kept all of the cats suspended in the air and he tore the sausage up into tiny pieces. Then he set the cats down into one long line and made them walk towards him in an orderly fashion so to speak. He gave each cat one piece of the fish sausage at a time then sent it to the back of the line. Then he would send it to the back of the line.

***********

Up topside Genma sat close to the pit drinking sake as he waited for his son to learn the neko ken. *Aahh.* he though. *Life would be great if all training was this easy. I'd practically be retired by now. Tendo old friend were going to live like kings!* Genma checked the watch that he had stolen about a day before from an old geezer. "Hmmm might as well check on Ranma now."

Genma put the bottle of sake down and walked to the pit. He rubbed his hands together in anticipation of seeing this neko ken ability. "Here we go." He said as he opened the lid to the pit reached down and pulled an unscathed Ranma out. *Hmmm I thought he'd be a little bit more roughed up.*

"Have you learned the neko ken yet boy?" Genma asked his son as he set him down on the ground. Ranma shook his head. Genma sighed. "Well you wait here I'll go get some more fish sausage." Genma closed the lid to the pit and walked off to their tent to get more of the meat. 

Ranma frowned. All his father seemed to care about at the moment was the neko ken. Ranma did a quik mind scan of the area and found that there were several people looking for lost pets. Namely cats. Ranma looked towards where his father went to make sure he wasn't looking then he lifted the lid using his telekinesis. His mental powers were far more capable than his physical abilities were in lifting heavy objects. Ranma was able to lift things that were ten times his weight. Once the lid was open he mentally lifted the cats out of the pit and set them on the ground. Once he had done that he gave them a mental command to go to their homes as fast as they can giving them the idea that there was piles of food waiting for them there.

All of the cats rushed off in different directions and Ranma watched with satisfaction. Genma soon came back with another chain of fish sausage. He paused once he got close seeing that the lid was open. *Hmm that's odd.* He thought. *I could have sworn that I had shut that lid. Genma pondered that for a moment the shrugged it off. *Naaah! I probably just imagined it.* Or so Ranma made him believe.

Genma set to work wrapping Ranma in the fish sausage. "Okay boy now get in there and learn the neko ken." He said as he set his son down into the pit. Genma sat back on the ground with his bottle of sake and poured another cup for himself. 

Genma was about to take a sip of the burning liquid when Ranma's voice came through the pit. Genma put the cup on the ground and opened the lid to the pit. Genma looked down at his son who was just sitting at the bottom looking up at him. "What is it boy?" Genma asked impatiently.

Ranma looked around the cave then back up at his father with confusion. "Where'd all the cats go Pop?" He asked. Genma looked down into the pit and sure enough there was not a single cat to be seen anywhere. 

"WHAAAAAAAA???!!!" Was all that Genma could think of to say at the moment. He dropped into the pit with his fish sausage wrapped son and looked around. "W-w-where did they all GO?" he said in genuine confusion. Which was not uncommon for Genma Saotome. "Ranma there were cats down here when you where last here right?" Ranma nodded.

"Sure, lotsa them.." Genma scratched the back of his head. 

*This is to much.* Genma thought as he shook his head. He turned around, picked up Ranma, and lifted him up onto the ground above. He then pulled himself out as well. "We're leaving now Ranma pack up your stuff and we'll continue your training."

Ranma smiled as he ran off to get his stuff. He had pulled it off. He was now able to manipulate his father with almost no effort at all. He was proud of himself. He had saved himself from the attack of a thousand hungry cats, fed the cats, helped them escape, and made Genma give up on him learning the neko ken. Ranma was feeling all powerful. Like he could do anything. 

The young martial artist in training stopped in his tracks as he thought about some of the very first lessons that his father had taught him, before his powers developed. 

"The duty of a martial artist is to protect those that cannot protect themselves." Genma had said. He had also said many other honourable statements. One that stood out in Ranma's mind was the one that said: "Power is a tool and one that should not be used rashly. A martial Artist must never let this tool take control of him. No matter how tempting the thought."

Okay so Genma hadn't taught him _that_ one yet, but he had read it from his memories which was another talent that young Ranma had developed. He was able to reach into the most forgotten of memories from a persons mind and view them as if they were happening to him right then. He had to be careful with this talent though cause some people had terrible memories that a six year old boy would have trouble coping with.

Of course Ranma, being the ever aware boy looking to learn more techniques had learned to sift through the memories as if it were an open book. Little did Ranma know though that the power of his mind now was only rivalled by one person. Professor Charles Xavier, of Westchester, New York. Only Charles was about 20 years old at the moment and his powers had just about reached their maximum capability. Ranma's however were only just beginning to develop. 

************

(10 years later)

Ranma grumbled. Sometimes he hated these training trips. His father was a big idiot. He almost never paid bills without Ranma mentally making him do so. Whenever Ranma was off training by himself, back at camp or otherwise, and Genma was elsewhere he had to keep a constant mental link on him to make sure he didn't try to steal anything or sell him off for something.

Of course this was a simple thing to do for him. It was no harder than breathing for him. But it still hated not being able to trust his Father. Ranma had read nearly every mind on earth by now learning from all other peoples mistakes and learning new abilities from them. For instance there was a village not far off from where they were camping where he was currently reading the mind of a 300 year old woman. She was also an experienced fighter and knew many special martial arts techniques, mostly concerning the use of Chi.

Ranma had discovered chi from the mind of one of the many people who's minds he had read. Ranma spent most of the time that Genma was away getting drunk in local bars learning more complicated styles of martial arts. Although Ranma didn't need martial arts for defence it was good and relaxing whenever he did katas. If he didn't have his martial arts he wouldn't be in any Danger. He had learned at about the age of eight that he could use his psychic powers as well as his telekinetic powers for attacking. 

He could lift anything with his telekinesis he lifted a mountain one night a full three metres into the air before he was stressed out and had to let go. His psychic powers where so powerful that he could read a mans mind from the other side of the world. He had developed his chi to very powerful amounts. He could probably clear a whole forest in one chi blast. He could do the same with a kinetic bolt.

He discovered kinetic energy early on also. It was the focussing of psychic and telekinetic powers to become solid. Ranma used it as an attack. Ranma's favorite and most powerful mind ability was what he liked to call a 'Mind Spike' He had used it once on a man who had chased a lady into an alley with intents of Rape. He sent a powerful mind spike on the man sending him into a Coma that he would be in for the rest of his life. Ranma used this technique for many things. He could knock a man unconscious, put him in a coma, make someone's head feel as if it were about to explode, paralyse someone, or even cripple them.

Ranma didn't like a lot of the things his mind Spike could do but he used it a hell of a lot more than his Control spike! He hated using the control spike more than anything it made him feel powerful. Too powerful. The Control Spike was a mind ability that allowed him to control any human being to do anything that he wanted. Ranma was terrified of this ability. He had used it once on someone without knowing it, and the man died because of it Ranma hadn't learned until he saw the headline on a newspaper and it didn't take long for him to put two and two together.

Ranma vowed to himself never to use the ability unless he absolutely had to.

Ranma had felt a mental presence nearby to where he and Genma were camping for the night. They sounded like faint mental screams of agony that begged to be released of their pain. It confused Ranma and distracted him to no end. This was his last week of training in the art and he couldn't wait to go home to see his mother.

He had kept in close contact with his mother once he located her via mind mail. That was what Ranma called it, when he talked with people over great distances using his vast mental powers. She was a wonderful woman and he couldn't wait to meet her but she had this thing about manliness that Ranma found... odd. He had found out about his mothers suicide contract with his father one day when he was searching through his fathers memories.

Commit Sepuku if he's not manly. As if! Ranma had talked his mother out of it. Having told her that it was the reason why Genma had never taken him to visit her. His Father was the biggest coward in all of Japan and China. And Ranma knew this for a fact. He'd read all of the mind in Japan and China.

Ranma was eager to finish his Martial arts training. Apparently his father had been saving the best for last. Jusenkyo some kind of valley with a bunch of springs he had read peoples minds in the area concerning the springs. Not many people knew about it but it was a magically cursed place. Ranma would have to make sure that he was extra careful at this training ground. 

The pigtailed martial artist stopped his kata and looked off into the distance towards their next and final destination. Jusenkyo. Ranma was a little scared at the prospects of what the springs would do to him if he were to fall into one. That was also the direction that the mental screams were coming from. Ranma shivered as the screams raised in intensity. The agonizing voices were a terrifying sound many of them were human voices but most of them were not even close to human.

Ranma continued his Kata trying to put the voices out of his head and concentrate on his martial arts. Ranma accessed the depths of the old martial arts master and continued to pick at the secrets of the ancient Amozon techniques. Ranma frowned although the people in this particular tribe were great fighters they had some seriously screwed up rules and laws.

Ranma continued to learn and apply the new chi techniques right up until Genma came back from a nearby village drunk. Ranma didn't care though in fact he didn't care if Genma got into trouble at all as long as he didn't try to use Ranma to get out of it.

Ranma went to sleep under the stars staring up at the beautiful night sky all he could think of was how great it was going to be to see Mom again.

************

(The next day) 

Ranma did not sleep well. He had nightmares all night and he was not happy. His dreams were of lives of different times all coming to a watery end in the same valley of Jusenkyo drowning in one of the many pools that adorned the vast valley. He held his head in agony as he walked alongside his father towards the ancient training ground.

"Ooooh!!" He moaned as another wave of pain hit him. Jusenkyo was now in his sight and he marveled at the beauty of the place. The springs sparkled in the afternoon sun underneath a small mist that gave it an ethereal look to it. "Wow." Ranma whispered as he stared at all the landscape. That was before the headache struck again with twice the force as all the times before. "Aaargh!" Ranma screamed as he fell to the ground holding his head in pain.

Genma looked down at his son with a little worry. Ranma had been holding his head in agony several times during their trek to Jusenkyo. However he kept playing the strict teacher just to insure Ranma turns out to be manly man. "Ranma stop screaming like a little girl were nearly there. A martial Artist must never show weakness!" 

Ranma stood up and held the pain at bay as they entered Jusenkyo a stout little man wearing a green uniform. The man started talking erratically in Chinese. ["Sirs why you come here? You should not be coming here to Jusenkyo. It is a very dangerous place. You should turn back now."] Genma ignored the man and dropped his traveling pack close by to one of the many pools nearby. 

"Come on Ranma!" He called back to his son as he jumped up onto one of the many different sized bamboo poles.

Ranma ignored him as he pushed back another wave of pain. He looked back at the guide who was sweating bullets. ["Excuse me sir?"] The guide looked at Ranma no less distressed than before he had addressed him. Ranma knowing that he had the guides attention continued. ["We understand the consequences of training here at Jusenkyo, do not concern yourself with our safety."] The guide was visibly relieved. 

Ranma nodded to the guide put his pack down beside Genma's and jumped up to another one of the poles. Genma looked at him confusedly. "Where did you learn Chinese Boy?" 

Ranma shrugged "I picked it up along the way." 

Genma nodded and crouched into a one footed stance on top of the pole that he currently occupied. Ranma followed suit in a similar stance. The two assailants leapt at each other and traded a flurry of punches and kicks in mid air, seemingly defying the laws of gravity themselves. Then they pushed off of each other landing back on another vertical bamboo pole.

They did this several times over sometimes not meeting each other in mid air often just a cat and mouse chase along the tops of the poles. Ranma prepared to jump into another airial attack with his father when his mind began to get that familiar buzzing that he had been getting all day. He shrugged it off though and leapt into the air where his father met him.

Father and Son pushed off of each other and landed on another different set of poles. As soon as Ranma touched down his mind flared with pain worse than he had ever felt before. It hit him like a tidal wave. Spiraling over him over and over again, each time more painful than the last.

Ranma lost his balance and fell off of the pole heading towards the waters below. 

Genma, although an idiot, he was not totally oblivious to Ranma's current condition. As Ranma plummeted to the spring below. Genma dived after his son to at least try to prevent him from injury. Genma swooped down with a grace that his body did not suggest physically possible. He grabbed Ranma in mid air and redirected both their weight to a small spot of land amongst the springs using one of the many bamboo poles to redirect their momentum.

He landed perfectly on the tiny strip of wet grass but it was not meant to be that simple. Genma slipped on the grass and both father and son landed in the same spring together.

***********

The first thing Ranma realized when he hit the water was that the pain was gone but a tingling sensation ran through his whole body and he felt a pressure on his chest. Ranma just now realized that he was underwater and he swam to the surface which was a very short trip. He broke the water with quick intake of fresh mountain air. "Aaaah." He sighed as he looked around his surroundings. He was close to shore and the guide was yelling at them about the curses of Jusenkyo in Chinese.

Ranma also saw his Oyaji floating face down in the pool. "Jeez he yelled as he grabbed his Pop and pulled him around so that he wouldn't drown. He noticed something immediately wrong with his pop as soon as he wrapped his arms around him. His chest had _BREASTS_!!! And the change had become clear when Ranma saw his fathers face.

Genma was much thinner now and quite beautiful he had long brown hair flowing out from underneath his bandana that almost always donned his cranium. Ranma gasped and nearly dropped his father back face down into the pool. 

Then Ranma remembered about the Jusenkyo curses and he looked down at his own chest. Which protruded two large mounds just like his, um, fathers. Ranma groaned as he pulled his father out of the pool and onto the dry land where the guide stood. 

The guide helped Ranma to drag the female Genma into his hut where he unnecessarily explained the curses and their workings to Ranma. 

**********

Genma awoke slowly. He had hit his head on a rock at the side of the pool and fell unconscious. He looked up and there stood the Jusenkyo guide and A girl that looked a lot like Ranma with the exact same clothes. "W-where am I he asked the strangers above him as he slowly lifted himself to a sitting position. He held his head which was pounding with a headache. 

Genma's eyes widened to the size of saucers {the flying ones} and he jumped to his feet the headache forgotten. "I- I have _HAIR_!!" he covered his mouth with both hands, ignoring the newfound hair. His voice was a lot higher than he recalled it ever being. He looked down at his chest which sported a large pair of breasts. "AAAAAAHHH!!!" The newfound girl screamed. She-Genma opened up the front of her loose gi pants and looked down sweat pouring down her face. 

"NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Ranma winced as Genma's voice screamed at the sudden loss of his manhood. Genma lay crumpled to the floor muttering to himself about sepuku, loss of manhood, and such. Ranma knew that that was what he was thinking of even though he couldn't read his mind at the moment.

The Teenage martial artist stopped in mid thought and silently reflected on the fact he had just come to realize now. 

"NNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Ranma fell to the floor alongside Genma muttering to himself as well about the loss of his power and his manhood. The guide just sat in between the two people covering their heads and rolling on the floor of his home. *[Japanese people are very strange people.]*

Ranma got up off of the floor. Well it wasn't so bad he could change back into a guy any time he wanted with just a little hot water. But what about his powers? What if they didn't come back? *Okay my psychic powers are gone but what about my telekinesis?* Ranma thought as he looked around the room for something small to try it out on.

Ranma spotted a vase on a far away shelf. No one was looking at t but him at the moment so it was the perfect test object. *Here goes.* Ranma lifted the vase up with his mind and it complied and he made it float around in circles then set it down. "HA HA HAAAA!" He laughed in a triumphant manner. Well at least he could still use that. One out of two wasn't so bad.

Genma looked over at the girl who was laughing and finally an intelligent thought just happened to float by his mind. *It was the spring we fell into it turned me into a woman! And Ranma was there with me. That must be, be, ...be...*

"Ranma!" 

Ranma stopped laughing and stared at his father in question. "Yeah Pop?"

Genma jumped back up to his feet and rushed over to Ranma grabbing the boy turned girl by the shoulders. "Y-y you're a girl?!" He stuttered. Ranma nodded. Genma fell to the floor wrapping her arms around the small redheads legs nearly knocking her over and bawled. "WAAAAAAHH!! Now the schools will never be joined!! WAAAAAH!"

Ranma pulled his father off of her legs kneeled down and grabbed Genma's shoulders. "Pop it's okay it can be reversed." Genma looked up at Ranma her eyes already drying up. 

"I-i-it can?" she asked with hope shining through her eyes like a supernova. Ranma nodded again. Genma hugged her, um, Daughter and cried some more. The tears coming down in waterfalls. "YAAAAAAY The schools will be joined!"

Ranma was confused he had never once read about the joining of schools from her fathers memories before why was it coming up just now? Ranma shrugged it couldn't be to important. {Yeah right!} The guide came over with a kettle of hot water and handed it to Genma. 

"Here you go sir. Genma looked at the kettle in her hands confusedly. 

"Uuuh whats this for?" Genma asked the guide looking up at the pudgy little man. 

The guide proceeded to tell the workings of the Jusenkyo curse to the elder Female. "Jusenkyo curses activated by water can be reversed when Hot water poured over." 

Genma was happy. At least she'd get her manhood back. But she was sure that she would lose all of the beautiful hair she had gained from the spring. Genma had tears well up in her eyes. She held a lock of her own hair and kissed it goodbye as if it were a person itself.

Genma poured the kettle overtop of his head and began to shed silent tears as the change took place. He handed the kettle to Ranma and cried into his hands.

Ranma took the kettle and poured it over herself as well and then handed it back to the guide. Looking over at his father he could sense all that he was thinking at the moment. It was all about the loss of his hair. Ranma stopped in mid thought again and then bust out cheering. "WOOO HOOOOOOOO!!! HA HA HAAAA I'm _back_, their _back_ it's all _back_! HA HA HA HAAAAAAA!!" 

The guide looked at the crying customer kneeling on the floor and approached him. "Uum Sir? Why do you cry? Genma looked up at the guide. 

"You can't _tell_?" The guide shook his head. "My beautiful hair is _gone_ again! WAAAAAAHHH!" The guide continued to look at Genma as if he'd grown five more heads. 

"Uuum Sir You hair is not gone. It never..." The guide was cut off as Genma pulled out a mirror from out of his gi somewhere and looked at the long brown hair cascading down from his once bald head. 

"WOOO HOOOOOOO!!! HAA HAAAA!!! I'm _back_, My hairs all _back_! HA HA HA HAAAA!!" Genma grabbed his sons hands and they began dancing around the guides house cheering at both of their states of return. The guide just stood back as far away as he could from the pair of giddy martial artists with sweat drops all around his head.

["Japanese people very strange people."]

***********

Ranma and Genma began their long trek home. They were in China and they had almost no money so they had to walk the entire way. The Jusenkyo guide had decided to accompany them to a nearby village of Chinese Amazons called Neiucheizu . Ranma knew of this place well, being that it was where he had been learning from the old 300 year old woman via psychic powers. 

However on the way there it began to rain drenching the two traveling martial artist and inevitably changing them to their cursed forms. Ranma was going to be angry at Genma for bringing her to Jusenkyo but the guide had told her something that made her change her hind.

(Flashback to the Guides hut.)

]"Ooh sir you is very lucky to have such a father."] the guide said to Ranma just as he was about to beat the crap out of Genma for bringing him to Jusenkyo. Ranma looked over at the guide as if he had grown a tail and an extra head.

["What are you talking about he's the biggest, laziest, most stupid Father in the world."] Ranma said in aggravation.

The guide shook his head. ["He saved you from a certain doom that is much worse than falling in nyanichuann."] Ranma dropped Genma onto the floor and looked at the guide in question. ["What are you talking about?"[ He asked with his arms crossed. The guide began.

["Your father saved you from the spring of drowned rat. He dived after you and then you both fell into the spring of drowned girl. Your Father could have stayed on top of pole and just watched but he must really care to have sacrificed himself so that you could live a somewhat normal life."]

Ranma stopped and contemplated what the guide said. What was worse turning into a girl at the splash of cold water or a Rat. Ranma decided that his father could live.

(Back at the present.)

Ranma and Genma approached the walls of the Amazon village there were two guards standing in the way of them and the large wooden doors. When the two martial artists came near they positioned the spears that each girl had in a no entry sort of way. The Jusenkyo guide who had tagged along with the duo talked to the two women in Chinese and they let them pass.

As they stepped in through the gates the guide addressed the travelers in broken Japanese. "Ooh sirs you is very lucky today Amazons having grand tournament to determine who be the best warrior of the village. Is such an honor to view such spectacle."

Ranma felt like she had taken a step back in time. The village had houses made out of wood most of them looked really old and worn out. There was a large log held horizontally with chains. Currently a crowd was surrounding this area as there were two people fighting on top of it. Both were women, although Ranma couldn't be sure about one of them without the use of his psychic powers. The other girl was really cute though and Ranma had no trouble figuring out that she was in fact a woman.

She had purple hair which Ranma found odd because you didn't see that hair to often. Her name was Xian Pu. Ranma knew this since he had read her mind and almost every girl in the village. There was a very large percentage of Lesbians in this particular village. Ranma sat down on a bench close to a large pile of food in which Genma was currently pigging out on.

Ranma didn't pay it any mind thinking that it was some sort of snack bar for the people watching the match. The shorter but much more feminine Shampoo was having a hard time but she had been fighting for quite some time from what Ranma saw. Eventually the purple haired amazon got the upper hand and knocked the larger, um, girl off of the log and hopped off heading in Ranma's general dirrection.

This was about the time that Ranma noticed the sign that clearly said in Chinese "First prize!" Ranma grabbed her father and pulled her away from the food but it was too late Shampoo threw a bonbori at Ranma but she ducked and it flew over top of her and out of harms way. "Hey!" Ranma called out to the well endowed Amazon. Pointing at her father turned female she continued. "He uh _She_ ate your prize not me!"

Shampoo held the remaining mace out in a threatening manner. ["Hey you stupid girl why are you eating my prize?"]

Ranma rolled his eyes. *Oh yeah were in _China_ people speak _Chinese_ here.* The guide told Ranma generally what Shampoo said to them in his own broken Japanese. Ranma ignored him and spoke back to Shampoo. ["Listen Shampoo I did not eat your prize _she_ did!"] Ranma emphasized the she bye pushing her Father in front of the agitated Chinese girl. 

Shampoo looked at Genma who was currently thinking up a scheme on how to get out of this mess. Shampoo said something to Onna-Genma in Chinese and then walked back towards the challenge log. Genma looked back at her, currently, daughter for a translation. Ranma sighed. "She said she challenges you." Ranma didn't like where this was going. She remembered one law in particular that she had read from the mind of one of the Amazons. She decided to help her father out of this mess.

Genma being the idiotic man that he was thought of this as an easy way out after all she was a master of the Saotome school of martial arts. She strolled up to the log and hopped on. She found it much easier to move around in her current form it was a lot lighter and she lost her ponch whenever she changed. Genma was finding it unbelievably easy to cope with her Jusenkyo curse.

Shampoo stood with both bonbori at ready, one of the other amazons had fetched it for her, and she faced off against Genma. Ranma readied her telekinesis, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. 

*****

(Elsewhere amongst the crowd) 

Colognes senses perked up a massive power surge erupted from within the crowd she looked around and saw a Red headed Japanese girl standing off to the side as if waiting to strike. Cologne had never felt this kind of power before it was alien to her ancient being. She eyed the girl carefully waiting to see how things developed.

*****

Shampoo attacked Genma swinging her bonbori to strike the older woman's legs. But Genma jumped over it and did a flip over the Chinese girls head landing behind her silently and getting into her own ready stance. Shampoo charged again and swung her bonbori genma dodged to the left and her bonbori missed.

Ranma chose that moment to strike he mentally pulled the weapon down to the ground. Shampoo, having not expected this, had a very hard grip on the handle and she was pulled with it to the ground.

Genma looked down at the girl disappointed. She was hoping that she would get a better fight out of the purple haired girl. "What a clumsy girl." She commented as he hopped down from the log and met her daughter, who threw Genma's bag to her and motioned for them to head out.

The two aqua transsexual martial artists left the village on their way back to Japan.

***********`

Shampoo got up and shook her head to get the ringing out. She had landed right on her noggin after falling off of the log. She saw her opponent walking off and away from the village and snarled as she got ready to attack. However a short little old woman stepped out in front of her blocking her path.

["Do not attack them Shampoo."] The wizened old woman said in a no arguments manner.

["great-grandmother she defeated me! I must give her the kiss of death and kill her!"]

["No child the woman did not defeat you. You fell off of the log. However I want you to follow that pair and see if you can find out more about them. The younger one is very powerful and would be an excellent addition to the tribe."]

Shampoo was shocked to hear her grandmother say such things. ["great grandmother! How could you say that they are outsiders!"]

["That does not matter child any power that we can add to the tribe is a power worth having. And _that_ girl is very powerful. I sense it would be wiser to have her as an ally rather than an enemy."] Cologne said.

Shampoo briefly nodded. And took off in a huff to collect her travelling gear.

Cologne looked after her great grand daughter with an evil smile on her face. ["I believe the Nieuchiezu will soon be a world power with much influence upon the rest of the world."] 

Cologne hopped off towards her home cackling to her self.

************`

{Well that's the 1st chapter to Astral minds Tell me what you thought of it and of course where this one could go. Maybe give me some ideas that could spice this story up a bit, or give some comic relief to it? Any way C&C's are happily excepted. I'm not sure exactly where I'll be going with this story so I encourage all to give Ideas. My next project is a Ranma/Wolverine/Street Fighter crossover. I will start it as soon as I get a title for it, everyone is also encouraged to give me ideas for a title, until then I'll work on a little ditty I like to call "Vengeance and Hellfire". 

Bye Everybody!

Bye Dr. Night


	2. Homecoming

Astral Minds

Astral Minds

Disclaimer: Ranma ½ and all related characters do not belong to me. None of the X-Men belong to me either.

* *: Thoughts

Capital letters: Shouting or loud noises

{ }: Author's own thoughts

_ _: Stressed words

[ ]: Chinese Language

: Psychic Projections

Chapter 2

Homecoming

Ranma and Genma were walking down the street of Japan. They were both currently in their cursed forms being that it was raining outside. Ranma had a smile plastered on her face as she walked thinking about her mother and how happy she'd be to see him. Genma however was frowning. He did not want to face her wife with Ranma when he was cursed to turn into a girl at the splash of cold water. She was shure to consider that unmanly. 

Genma turned down a road on his way to Tendo's house hoping Ranma would just follow. Since he hadn't seen his mother in ten years he couldn't possibly know the directions there. However as she turned down the road Ranma continued walking forward in her original direction. "Ranma!" He called. "Aren't you coming?"

The _boy_ in question turned to look at his idiotic father. "Dad Moms house is this way." *If that guy thinks of trying to marry me off to any other strangers I am going to mind spike him so painfully...*

"I just have a little errand to run Ranma it will only be a few minutes." Genma said trying to persuade his son to go along with him. Ranma shook her head though.

"No way old man I promised Mom that she'd be the first person who we'd stop by to see." Ranma said as she shrugged and began walking towards her mothers house. 

Genma ran up to his son turned daughter and grabbed her by the shoulder. "Are you mad Boy? Look at our current forms we cant go to see your mother like this! She'd, uhm, _kill_ us!"

Ranma laughed. "HA, HA, HA!! You think mom would be mad that we accidentally fell into a spring that turned us both into girls? It's not even permanent so what's the big deal? Besides we can change before we get there." Ranma said and then she turned and headed off into the district of Juuban. 

**************

Onna-Ranma and Onna-Genma walked up the stone path that led up to the house that was Nodoka Saotome's. Ranma had to control herself not to run up and just rush in to see her mother. It had been so long. If he hadn't located her with his powers he probably would have thought that she was dead. Having not seen her for so long.

As The two travelling Martial Artists walked under the awning that was just over the front door, Ranma pulled out two thermoses handed one to Genma and kept one to himself. He poured the contents of the thermos over top of her head turning her male again. "Aaah good to be back!" Ranma said.

Genma repeated the actions that Ranma had and turned himself back into a male. "I don't know Ranma I feel pretty good in my other form." Ranma scanned his mind noticing that he was serious. Ranma decided to play along as if he didn't know.

"You're kidding Right Pop?!" Ranma paused looking thoughtful. "Well gee Mister Saotome that doesn't sound very manly now does it?" Ranma said in mock humour. 

Genma sweated. "Um. Well you know I lose a lot of weight when I'm in girl form, so I just, Uh, feel a lot more healthy. Almost like a kid again. Yeah that's it." Ranma smirked and sent a mental message to Nodoka who he could sense was in the house. Soon after he had sent it. Nodoka herself burst out the front door. With a smile plastered across her face like a kid at Christmas.

"Ranma!!" She nearly screamed as she threw herself at her only son. Crushing him in a warm hug. "Oh Ranma I was getting so worried I hadn't heard from you in _weeks_! What happened?" Ranma smiled and motioned towards the house. 

"I think that we should discuss that inside." Ranma said. Nodoka nodded and was about to walk in when she noticed a man standing beside her son. At first she didn't recognise him but it finally dawned on her who it was once she got a good look. 

"G-Genma!?!"

Genma smiled at his wife sheepishly and gave a little wave. "H-Hullo No-chan." Nodoka jumped on Genma holding him in a crushing embrace that a certain Amazon would have been green with envy upon observing. 

"Oh Genma! I couldn't even recognize you with hair. Where did you get that gorgeous hair?" She asked while stroking the newfound hair of her husbands, which was tied back in a rough ponytail. Genma sweated. Nervous of giving the answer in fear for his life and also having not been this close to his wife in so long. Genma blushed.

"There will be time enough to tell of our tales later No-chan. It's a little more difficult than you think." Nodoka blushed herself and stepped back out of the way of the door motioning for the two travel weary martial artists in. 

"Goodness where are my manners?" she said. "Please come in." Genma and Ranma did as they were told and entered the Saotome home. The first thing that came to Ranma's mind was. 

*Home sweet Home!*

***********

Later at the dinner table Ranma sat with Nodoka and Genma who was looking nervous at every little movement that his wife made. Nodoka had prepared a feast for her long lost family even though it was nowhere near supper. Nodoka after swallowing a bit of the home cooked cuisine locked eyes with her son in a steady gaze.

"Now son." She said. "Why is it that I have not heard from you for the last couple of weeks?" Ranma finished slurping up some noodles from his bowl and looked at his mother already knowing what she was going to say before she even said it. 

"Well mom," He began, "It started just before that when we were headed for out last training area..." Ranma explained to his mother about the training ground with Genma trying to shut him up the whole time, and he got up to the part where the head pains had made him lose his balance, when he heard a mental call for help in the distance. "Excuse me." He said as he wiped his mouth on his sleeve and got up heading out the front door and leaping to the roofs.

"Wait Ranma!" Nodoka called as the boy jumped out the door but it was too late he was gone. "Where is he going?" She asked Genma who was at her side staring after his son. The fat man just shrugged his shoulders. Nodoka walked back to the table. "Now, why don't you finish off this story husband?" She asked as she began to lightly pick at her food.

Genma sweated. "Well I believe it would be best for Ranma to tell it after all it is his tale." Genma said trying to make his voice sound less shaky. He wasn't very good at it and Nodoka noticed the sweating.

*Oh no! He's probably gone and done something stupid again.* She thought. Dark images danced through her mind of Genma's punishment, had he hurt Ranma. None were pleasant.

**********

Ranma raced across the rooftops homing in on the screams in the distance. He could sense many other thoughts among the screams. Most were angry for no reason at all. He rushed to the scene in hopes that he wouldn't be to late to be of some help.

**********

Seven teenagers were in an alley. All of them sported leather clothing with various chains and spikes protruding from them. They all had weapons that were fairly crude like pipes and wooden boards. A girl stood in the alley a distance from them wearing a dark hood over her head covering her features from view. Her cloak was torn all over and was very dirty.

One of the gang members who sported a lead pipe bore down on the girl who took a step back in fear. "Yeah you better be afraid Mutie! Cause we're gonna beat you and all your other genetic trash friends with you." The boy rapped the pipe he held in his palm for emphasis.

The girl screamed and ran away further into the dark alley. "GET HER!" One of the thugs yelled as the gang gave chase.

Marina Kitata was the girls name. She was indeed a mutant. She had gained her mutant powers along with her different appearance at the age of 14. Since then she has been an outcast. Living on the streets of Tokyo, feeding on small vermin and garbage of others after being thrown out of her home for being different.

She was not having a good day today. Not that any day she had was actually good. She had been feared from all who saw her, what most considered, hideous features. She ran for her life. Though it was in vain as she came upon a dead end. She looked around for someplace to hide, someplace to get away. But there was nothing. Her hood fell down as she whipped her head around to see the gang almost upon her. She had a snake like appearance scales of different shades of green adorned her face and hands. Her face was slightly different than normal giving her a little more snake like appearance. Though if one bothered to actually look they would see her beauty.

"Well, well mutie. Looks like the end of the line for you now doesn't it?" The ring leader of the gang said in a menacing voice. The gang approached her and all she could think of was escape but there was no place to escape to. She screamed hoping someone would hear her. Hoping that somebody would care.

"Screaming ain't gonna do you a whole hell of a lot Mutie! No one cares about you and your kind!" The boy said. The snake like girl fell to her knees crying. Hoping they would show some amount of mercy. But it was all for naught as the gang rushed her and began to beat her with their weapons.

She could feel every single blow and each one hurt more than the last every time. The gang leaders pipe hit her in the head causing her to lose consciousness but they weren't looking to hurt they were looking to kill. They continued to strike at the broken and bloody girl on the ground. Just then they all stopped as three of the gang members dropped to the ground unconscious themselves. 

"What the HELL!" The gang leader exclaimed as he looked around to see what was causing his men to fall. He didn't have to look very far. Behind the gang stood a pigtailed boy about the same age as them wearing a red silk Chinese shirt and black pants. "Who the HELL are _you_!?!" the gang leader asked. Clearly miffed at the interruption.

*************

Ranma jumped down into the alley, not making a single sound. He saw the girl fall to the ground unconscious and the boys continued to beat on her. He sent out three mind spikes to three of the gang members. Sending them into unconsciousness themselves. 

The rest of the gang turned around to meet the anything goes martial artist's fiery gaze. "Who the HELL are _you_!?!" asked the man who he had guessed was the leader of the gang. Ranma got into an offensive stance. 

"The names Ranma Saotome of the anything goes school of martial arts." He said. "Step away from the girl." He said in a voice that brooked no argument. The gang leader looked confused. 

"What are you talkin about?" The leader asked as he moved out of the way so that Ranma could see the girl. "This ain't no girl! This is a freakin _Mutant_!" Ranma didn't ease up on his stance at all. Instead he just repeated his earlier warning.

"I said step away from the girl. Or _else_!" The gang pulled their weapons up in a threatening manner.

"Yeah? Well who's gonna make us Mutie lover? You?" Said the gang leader.

Ranma just nodded. "I warned you!" He yelled as he jumped towards the gang. Ranma's foot connected with one of the gang members skulls and sent him flying towards one of the walls. He was rendered unconscious by the blow and the impact combined. Ranma back handed another one that tried to hit him with a wrench. Ranma sent all the other flying towards another wall using his telekinesis. They all impacted with the wall very hard and crumpled into a heap on the ground. 

One of the boys got knocked unconscious by the collision and there were only two remaining standing. The leader of the gang held his head in pain and stared at Ranma in shock. "Y-Y-YOUR A FREAKIN MUTANT TOO!!" He yelled. Ranma shrugged his shoulders getting into a more casual yet just as guarded stance.

"Maybe. What's it to yah?" He asked with a cocky smirk. The leader didn't answer he just ran at the young martial artist with a primal battle cry. After pulling a switch blade from inside his pocket and flicking it open.

"RAAAAAAGGHH!" The leader slashed at the pig tailed boy but he dodged and elbowed the teenage gang leader in the back breaking a couple of ribs with the blow. He looked to the last standing gang member. And smiled. 

"You want some?" He asked. The boy with humor and a little menace lacing his voice. 

The thug seeing what all had been done to his friends ran out of the alleyway screaming. Ranma shrugged and bent over the mutant girl. He felt her scaly neck for a pulse and he found one. "Good." He said. He picked the snake like Marina up and draped her carefully across his shoulders. He then leapt onto the rooftop and began his trek home. Also sending a message home to Nodoka.

"Mom? I'm bringing a guest home. She's hurt and I want you to treat her with the utmost respect." Ranma sensed that His mother had received the message good. And he soon arrived home.

************

Nodoka's head popped up as she received a message from her son. Genma noticed this and asked her. "No-chan? What is it?" 

Nodoka waved it off. "Oh it's nothing to concern yourself with husband. Ranma is just bringing home a guest." She said casually.

Genma looked at her odd. "How do you know he's bringing company over?" He asked. Nodoka blushed at her slip up. 

"Oh, um nothing dear. I was just had a feeling he was going to bring a friend over. That's all." She said. Genma nodded and lay down on the couch for a nap.

Soon Ranma burst through the door. Carrying a snake like girl clad in a ruined cloak. Her scales glistened like emeralds. In the sunlight. And Ranma set her down on the ground. "Mom? Could you get a futon for her?" He asked as he cradled her head. Nodoka nodded ignoring the odd looking Mutant girl to get a futon like her son had asked.

She came back and she unrolled it Ranma lay the girl down on it and set a pillow under her head. Genma awoke to the noise of Ranma coming home and stared at the creature on the futon. His eyes went wide with fright as he remembered a news report he had seen in a shop window once. 

The fat martial artist jumped to his feet and rushed to his families side pushing Nodoka and Ranma away and then stepping back him self. "RANMA! What do you think your doing bringing that thing home!?!" He yelled. Ranma pulled him self to his feet and Glared at his dad. 

"POP!? What are you talking about?! Can't you see she's hurt?!" He yelled back nearly as loud as his father had. "She's hurt so I brought her home so she could rest up!" Genma looked at his son with horror and anger. 

"BOY! Don't you see that's a _MUTANT_!?! Those things are _dangerous_!"He counter yelled. Ranma was about to retaliate again but his mother stopped their squabble before he could do so.

"BOTH OF YOU STOP IT!!" She yelled. Genma crossed his arms and stepped back glaring at his son. Ranma stood there in his place ready to mind spike the man if he decided to continue his bitching.

"Now Genma I don't want to hear anymore complaints from you. This girl is a Mutant yes but she is hurt and needs rest. This is my house and Ranma did a good thing in offering her hospitality. It was a very manly thing to do."

Ranma looked at his mother in confusion. *there she goes with the manliness thing again.* 

Nodoka continued. "Now Genma. You will put up with our guests no matter how different they are. Whether they be white, black, red, purple, or even Mutant I will not have that discriminating attitude in my house. Now you apologize to Ranma!" She said with daggers in her eyes. 

Genma lowered his head but complied with his wife. "I-I'm sorry Ranma. I'll be nice to your _Mutant_ friend." Ranma frowned sensing the hidden meaning in his fathers voice. He couldn't believe that Genma was a mutant hater. The young martial artist felt like continuing and telling the fat man that he was a mutant too but decided against it.

"Apology _accepted_." He said in a very sarcastic tone. Ranma then went to the kitchen to get some ice to place on the snake skinned girls head. 

***********

Marina woke up to find herself in a nice room. There was a boy sitting beside her holding something cold to her head. The boy smiled at her. She wasn't sure what to think or do. She was not used to having people smile at her. Yet here was a boy that was sitting there taking care of her. She held one scaley hand to her head as the boy lifted what looked to be ice off. 

"W-Where am I?" She asked the boy sitting there. Ranma put a finger to her lips to shush her. 

"SSHHH." He said. "You have to rest. Your not fully healed yet. And as for your earlier question your at my mothers house." The girl tried to get up but as she did pain shot through her body like lightning. 

Marina fell to the ground she noticed that she had a pillow beneath her head. "Thank you." she said. Ranma waved it off. 

"Aaaah it was nothing. I always like to help those that can't help themselves." Behind Ranma Genma grumbled on the couch. Looking over the scene with disgust. He couldn't stand to see his son fondling over that genetic piece of trash. Ranma frowned at his fathers thoughts as he treated one of Marina's cuts. 

Ranma smiled back down at the girl. "How did I get here?" She asked the pig tailed boy who by her point of view was very attractive. Ranma frowned as he thought back at the event in the alley. 

"Some thugs were trying to kill you in that alley I found you in. I beat the hell out of them and carried you home so I could take care of you." Ranma said in a soft pleasant voice even though it was lined with hate for the ones who had caused her harm. "I tell you the things some humans do to each other, just cause they're a little different."

Marina was surprised here was a boy who looked 100% human and he considered her his equal. He said she was no different than other people. *Only a little different?* Marina thought. "Am I not grotesque to you?" She asked. "I am far more than a little different from ordinary people." she continued with a sad look. Her eyes downcast on the floor.

Ranma lifted her chin so she looked straight t him. "Hey." he said. "You look just fine the way you are. Your not near grotesque. In fact your kinda cute. You'd probably be even more so if you smiled more." The girl smiled a tear running down her face which Ranma wiped up with his hand.

Genma couldn't take anymore. His son was getting way to friendly with the Mutant. He decided to go and watch T.V. in the Den or get a beer at a local bar or something as long as he didn't stay around to see this crap. He stormed out of the room in a huff. 

Marina looked off at the irritated martial artist who had stormed out of the house. "Who is that?" She asked. Ranma frowned again. 

"Oh him!" said Ranma. Unbidden loathing directed at the fat man. "That's just my Pop. He a real Jerk though. He doesn't like mutants. At all it seems." Marina tried to sit up again and this time she managed to get into a cross legged position.

Ranma held his arm around her back to steady her he didn't think she'd notice being such a small task. But she noticed and he corrected himself. "What's your name?" He asked the snake skinned girl. 

"Marina." She replied, pulling up the edge of her cloak which had dropped down slightly past her shoulder.

Ranma continued his introduction. "I'm Ranma." He said holding out a hand in greetings. "Wanna be friends?" He asked. Marina Kitata studied the boys eyes but could see nothing but trust. She held out her hand and they shook. 

*A friend.* The snake girl thought. *I haven't had a friend in nearly two years.* She began to cry and she grabbed the boy who was actually startled despite his own mutant powers. She cried into his shoulder and continued to do so for quite some time. Ranma had sensed in the girls mind that the thing she need most right now was indeed a friend. And the pigtailed martial artist felt compelled to be that much needed friend.

************

(Off in the Saotome kitchen)

Saotome Nodoka wiped a tear from her eyes as she watched her son bring the poor girl out of her shell of solitude and fear and into the open. "My son is so manly!" She whispered. She missed Ranma twitch. 

When the young female mutant was finished crying she apologized to Ranma. He just waved it off saying that there was no need for it. Nodoka entered the room that Ranma and Marina were in. Ranma gestured to his mother as she entered.

"Marina this is my Mother, Nodoka Saotome." He said Marina twitched as the elder woman neared but held her ground. She didn't have many good experiences with ordinary humans and she was forever cautious of them. 

Nodoka shook the reluctant Marina's hand when she arrived next to the girl. "Hello Saotome-san" She said in a soft beautiful voice that was very human. Nodoka nodded.

"Hello Marina. I see you've been fully acquainted with my son Ranma. "Marina blushed, a sight that made Nodoka giggle it was so cute. "Tell me dear. Where do you live, and where are your parents?" Marina's eyes cast down to the floor again. 

"I-I have no family. I am an outcast." Nodoka was horrified. a young girl such as she should not be living on the streets by herself. There was all kinds of sick people out there not to mention the people that Ranma had rescued the poor girl from. 

"Y-You poor girl!" Nodoka said. Taking the girls hands in her own. They trembled at the touch of the older woman. "Ranma! I want you to go make up the guest room for Marina. I will not have any child living on the streets!" She said. Her tone brooked no argument. 

Marina was shocked. She barely knew these peoples names and here they were offering her a home to live in and friendship she had only dreamed of as she slept in dumpsters, and sewers. She cried and grabbed on to the woman. Nodoka pulled her away from her self after a moment and looked at her. 

"Now Marina. How about I go and get you some fresh clothes to wear after you have a bath. We can't have you running around in rags could we?" Marina nodded.

"I would like that very much Nodoka-san." She said, wiping the tears in her eyes away. The Saotome Matriarch led the girl to the bathroom where she undressed washed herself off and soaked in the tub. Nodoka left a pair of old clothes from when she was a teenager in place of the girls dirty cloak and left. She walked down to the kitchen and began to cook some lunch and make some tea.

************

Ranma finished fixing up the guest room in record time thanks to his telekinetic powers and his Martial Arts. He had it finished it up in about five minutes. He was about to leave the room but a vase full with flowers fell off of it's stool and splashed him with the cold water that it held turning the boy into a girl. "Great!" she muttered as she put her head in her hands. 

She opened the door just a little and peeked out to see if anyone was coming since her psychic powers did not work when he was a she. The coast was clear and she decided to head for the bathroom to wash her self and turn back into a guy.

Ranma snuck in to the bathroom silently making sure she didn't make any noise as to raise suspicion. He opened the outer door and then took off her clothes setting them in the hamper. She didn't see however the other clothes that were beneath it. She took a bucket and some other bathing things and entered the bath.

Ranma stopped in her tracks as she came face to face with Marina. Marina was completely naked with hot water glistening down the scales that covered her entire body. Her hair, which resembled the thick whiskers of a dragon, cascaded down her back right down to the small of her back.

Ranma turned bright red and turned around. "I-I-I'm sorry I d-didn't know there was anyone in here."

Marina smiled although Ranma couldn't see it. "That's all right. Uhm. Who are you? Are you Ranma's sister?" The snake girl said while she wrapped a towel around herself. 

Ranma didn't turn around but he decided that the best way out was the truth. "Actually." Ranma began. "I am Ranma." The boy turned girl turned back to see what the other girl's reaction was but she just looked confused.

Ranma seeing that she was at least covered slightly turned around and continued. "Well I'm actually a guy, uh, but whenever I get splashed with cold water I turn into a girl. Hot water changes me back." Marina's jaw dropped. 

"Y-Y-You're a mutant?" She asked. Ranma shook her hands from side to side in a dismissing manner. 

"No, no, no, no! It's, uh, a curse a magical curse that I got from a valley of springs in China called Jusenkyo. It's not a mutant power. My Pops got it too." She said. "And you saw how he hates mutants." She said. 

Marina fixed the towel she wore around herself. "How do I know your telling the truth?" She said cautiously. Ranma thought for a short second then headed over to one of the sinks filling up her bucket with hot water. 

"I think it's better if I just show you." He said holding the bucket over top of her head. "I'm warning you though this may be a little bit freaky." She then dumped the bucket of water over her head. Once he turned male again he gained his psychic powers back.

He could tell what she was thinking and also what she was looking at. He quickly covered his genitals, so as not to be thought of as a pervert and to keep her from ogling him. "Heh pretty out there huh?" He said hoping to make it seem a little lighter than it actually was.

Of course his eyes flew open at the thoughts that ran through Marina's mind, especially the one about screaming. Ranma waved his hands back and forth again. Of course the bucket that was covering his parts fell to the ground. "No, no, no! Please don't scream Marina I didn't know you were in here it was an accident!" He said. Marina visibly calmed down and he picked up the bucket and covered himself again. "I'll wait for you down stairs." he said. As he inched his way out the door towards his clothes.

****************

Marina sat on the edge of the furo thinking. *Not a mutant yet he has the power to turn into a girl.* She thought about the boy in detail. *He was even cuter without clothes on.* she thought with a smile. *I'm gonna like living here.* 

****************

(Later at the table) 

It had just started getting dark out now and the lights were on. Ranma sat at the table and his Mom sat beside him. They perked their heads up as the floorboards creaked and Marina came down the stairs and into the dining room where Ranma and Nodoka sat. The snake skinned girl wore a pair of fairly tight jeans and a blue sweater that covered only one shoulder. Her hair was tied back in a long ponytail and it was draped over her shoulder. Ranma blushed thinking of the little _talk_ they had in the bathroom together.

Marina walked over and sat at the table in front of Ranma. "How do I look?" she asked.

Ranma put his thumb up in the air signalling the okay. His mother of course went into the whole motherly adorable thing. "Ooooh you look so cute in those! I knew blue was your colour." Marina blushed, Nodoka continued. "I used to wear that when I was younger. I had kept it just in case I had a daughter." 

The Saotome Matriarch looked to her son with question. "Now Ranma, now that your fathers not here why don't you tell me why you weren't able to contact me?" Nodoka asked. 

Ranma had nearly forgot about it he had been so caught up with helping Marina and the, um, bathroom incident that the nights earlier conversation had slipped his mind. "Oh that well as I was saying Dad brought me to Jusenkyo and these head aches were affecting my powers and I fell into the springs. Pop swung down and redirected me over to another one of the springs, and we both gained a curse that turns us into females when we are splashed with cold water." He said.

Nodoka boggled at the information her son had given her. "But how does that have any affect on your power?" She asked clearly confused.

Marina butted in. "Wait, powers?" She asked fixing Ranma with a glare. "I thought you said that you weren't a mutant?!" Ranma shook his head. 

"I didn't say that I wasn't I just said that the curse wasn't a mutant power." Marina stared at him with confusion. 

"B-B-But you don't look anything like a mutant!" She exclaimed. 

Ranma began explaining, again "Not all mutants have a certain look Marina. I have certain Mutant powers that I developed when I was very young. My mutant powers are of the psychic and telekinetic kind. I was using my powers to talk to my Mom while I was in China learning Martial Arts." He said in a very intelligent manner.

"But what does that and Jusenkyo have to do with your not contacting me?" Nodoka asked. 

Ranma looked confused himself. "I'm not sure Mom." He said. "But when I turn into a girl I lose my psychic powers and my telekinetic powers increase in power." Marina looked at the boy in wonder. 

"So you can read peoples minds?" Marina asked with wonder. Ranma nodded She blushed as she thought back on what she was thinking in the bath. "So you um…?" she began trailing off and gesturing upstairs. Ranma again nodded but he blushed to himself.

"Uh yeah." He said. "Loud and clear."

Nodoka smiled as she saw her son blush. *My son is so manly!* she thought. Ranma twitched. 

*************

After the trio had eaten Ranma decided to go out to the family dojo and practice a few katas and mind tricks. Marina followed him out to the back yard and sat in the doorway of the dojo. Ranma began his kata after giving her a quick smile. She smiled back and leaned against the door frame. 

Ranma began his kata with a simple kata but he made it look very complicated the way he weaved in and out of it, not making any sound except for the rustle of his red, silk, Chinese shirt. Marina marvelled at the grace of the young boy as he flowed with the katas merging into a more complicated one, right after he was done with the previous one.

Ranma began to glow a small battle aura concentrated around his body as he began to do the really advanced katas. Marina thought it was another one of his mutant powers. Then to her amazement the glow seemed to travel down his arms turning into a flourescent pink glow and then shaping itself into a sword. Ranma now held a sword of pure telekinetic energy. He laughed as he looked at his creation.

"HA HA! I did it!" He exclaimed. Marina looked confused.

"What did you do?" She asked him. Ranma looked her way.

"Well," he said, "I got this idea today that since I can use my telekinetic powers to make pure TK force blasts, I thought that maybe I could use that and turn it into a solid object. I thought that maybe I could form an Astral weapon that I could shape into any occasion." He said. "Like, say I wanted a bow staff instead of this here katana." 

Ranma then concentrated and the telekinetic Katana turned into a bow staff. "Wow!" exclaimed Marina. "How do you do that?" She asked. Ranma smiled triumphantly. 

"Well I use my advanced Martial Arts skills to lay out lines of chi and the telekinetic force follows those lines to form the weapon." Marina stared at him in amazement. "Wow! What about those martial arts moves could you teach me those? Maybe that Chi thing too?" She asked with hope in her eyes. Ranma nodded.

"Sure! I'd love to teach you! I mean, What are friends for?" Marina giggled she hadn't had this much fun just talking to someone in a long time. Just then a large noise was heard from up above. It was loud like a sonic boom or something. 

"What the hell is _that_!?!" Ranma shouted as he headed for the door of the dojo to see what it was.

As Ranma poked his head out of the open shoji he saw a large black jet that looked very similar to a stealth bomber. From what he knew about those types of planes this was a lot bigger than any regular stealth bomber. It landed in the large empty lot that was beside their house.

Ranma motioned for Marina to stay back in the dojo and he went out to investigate the mysterious aircraft. He held his telekinetic katana out in a defensive stance as he approached the jet. He had already tried to search it with telepathy but it somehow blocked him from doing so.

Nodoka in the house had heard the sound as well and rushed out the doors to see what it was. She saw her son carrying what looked like a sword made of pure energy and the jet he was stalking towards. "Oh dear I hope he doesn't hurt himself."

*************

Ranma stalked towards the jet with the mental barrier with his astral Katana drawn. *I don't know who these guys are or what they want but I'm sure it can't be good.* He thought. A ramp leading to the under belly of the craft opened up and extended to the ground. Ranma could see seven silhouettes of people of various sizes standing at the entrance of the craft. They descended down the ramp and Ranma could now feel their thoughts. 

The teenage psychic powered down his astral sword and relaxed motioning for Marina to come with him he picked her up and jumped over the wall to meet his guests. 

landing on the ground the team of mutants had reached the ground. Ranma walked up to greet them Marina followed close behind being wary of the people from the ship. Ranma reached into their minds and pulled out the info he needed on every one of them. 

"Hello." He said to the mutant team. The man with the ruby quartz visor, Cyclops, stepped up to Ranma ahead of the others. And held out a hand in greeting. 

"Good afternoon." He said, as Ranma grabbed hold of his hand and shook it. "You are…?" The mutant team leader asked?

Ranma smiled after letting go of he older teens hand and he gave a mock bow. "Ranma Saotome, Psychic extrordinaire. How can I help you?" 

Nodoka off in the background sighed. *Looks like more guests have arrived. I'll go make some more tea.* She thought as she headed back into the house to prepare for company.

*************

to be continued…

{That's the end of chapter two for Astral Minds. I had some writers' block around the end there when the x-men came in. I had no idea how I could make them greet the American team of mutants. But I figured it out and it's all good. The next chapter will probably be bigger being that it'll be the meeting with the x-men, Ranma's first day of school, and the arrival of the brotherhood of evil mutants. I'm guessing that there'll be a big battle. Anyway stay tune next time for chapter 03: School Daze.}

Thanks to everyone for reading my fics…. Josh_VH (aka: Morden Night)

[http://josh_vh.tripod.com/mordensranmapage/][1]

   [1]: http://josh_vh.tripod.com/mordensranmapage/



	3. School Daze

Astral Minds

Astral Minds

Disclaimer: Ranma ½ and all related characters do not belong to me. None of the X-Men belong to me either.

* *: Thoughts

Capital letters: Shouting or loud noises

{ }: Author's own thoughts

_ _: Stressed words

[ ]: Chinese Language

: Psychic Projections

Chapter 3

School Daze

A dark figure silhouetted be the setting sun behind him outside of the huge room sized windows. He stared at a large screen that had fluctuating charts all over it most of them going up but one certain graph stood out above the rest. "Remarkable!" The man said in a dark voice as he stared at the one chart that was continuously going up wards and never fluctuating.

The man stood from his large thrown like chair and walked over to another large machine with many computer screens around it. He looked at the chart and examined it. "According to this the boy is a telepath." He looked at the data for a few more seconds and then clicked a small button on his large purple bucket like helmet that adorned his head. "Quicksilver." He said, seemingly into thin air.

A voice on the other end of the helmets communicator answers Magnetos call. "What is it Father?" The younger voice asked. Magneto continued.

"How many people work for the brotherhood in Juuban, Japan?" On the other end there was a rustle of papers that ended as soon as it had started.

"There are no mutants working for us in Japan." Quicksilver replied.

"Which of our operatives live closest to the area?" The dark Mutant asked. 

"More rustling ensued. "Just one. In a district nearby called Nerima." 

"Good." Magneto said with a dark yet pleased voice. "Contact this person immediately and have them find a way to get close to this new mutant."

"Yes Fa...." Magneto shut the connection down. And walked towards the large window. He stared at the sunset with a gleam in his eyes. 

"A telepath would be a perfect asset to the Brotherhood." 

*************

(Saotome Residence)

Ranma, Marina, and Nodoka sat at the dinner table with the x-men at the other end. Cyclops sat at the front and the rest of the x-men sat scattered around behind him doing random things. Cyclops took a sip of tea which Nodoka had prepared just before they had come in. 

"You were saying?" Ranma asked. Cyclops set his cup down and sighed. 

"As I was saying. Magneto who is an evil mutant who lives in a place called the savage land is more than likely to be coming after you because of your unnaturally high power level. He and the brotherhood are quite dangerous mutants who are bent on having Homo-superiors rule the earth over normal humans." He said. 

Bobby Drake, otherwise known as Iceman looked at Ranma with a frown. "Hey how come you don't just read his mind and get all the information for yourself? I thought you were some big telepath?" Ranma smiled.

"Well I'm sure that Mariko, and my Mom here would like to know more about it." He said. Bobby crossed his arms in front of him.

"So why didn't you tell them?" 

"Be quiet Bobby." Storm said as she took a sip of her own cup of tea. "We don't want to hear it. Not today." Bobby considered continuing trying to make sense of the situation but dropped it in favor of just sulking. Beast sat down in between Scott and Storm and looked over to Marina. 

"So Marina? What is your power?" Marina looked confused.

"Well I-I-I don't know." She said. Hank looked at her questioningly. 

"Well being that you have such a snake like appearance perhaps your powers have something to do with venom or some other snake like attribute." Hank continued to go on about what her powers might be Marina just sat there under his stare with a blush on her face, although you couldn't tell for sure through the scales. She wasn't used to this much attention.

Scott continued his conversation with Ranma. "Well Ranma how would...." Ranma cut him off.

"No thanks Scott I would not like to join the x-men. My martial arts and will keep me from harm and I already can control my powers very well. Marina?" Marina blessed all of the gods for the distraction that Ranma had given her. She was getting very flustered at Hanks analysis.

"What? What is it?" She asked having not been listening in on Ranma and Cyclops' exchange of words.

Ranma repeated it for her. "Scott wants to know if we wanted to join the x-men and move down to America to join they're school for gifted youngsters. It's a place for young mutants to learn more about their powers and how to better control them." Ranma said. "I've already declined his offer just to let you know." 

Marina thought about it. She had missed communicating with other people and this school sounded like a good place to do just that. However Ranma wasn't going, and he had promised her to teach her martial arts. She had just been offered a place to stay at Mrs. Saotome's house and now they wanted her to move all the way to America? She had made her decision. "No thank you. I would like to stay here."

Cyclops nodded to the people and motioned for the others to follow him. The other X-Men piled out the door where they came across a drunk Genma who was currently stumbling into the house. Ranma groaned as he watched his father trip over his own feet trying to walk. *Oh _Great_!* He thought sarcastically. *The great _master_ of the anything goes is here to Wow everyone with his _skill_.* The teenage psychic rolled his eyes at the site.

Genma grabbed Hank with one hand to steady himself and looked up at the mutant. With calculative eyes. He looked at the rest of the X-Men who all wore clothes that matched, but the images were distorted. Genma pointed at them with one shaky hand. "Y-Y-Your all M-Mutantsh! He said as he backed up away from the team of Homo-Superiors. He looked back in the house to see the snake girl sitting at the table beside Ranma. The fat Martial Artist swung his arm around banging it on the doorframe doing so pointing it at Marina as he stalked towards the younger girl. "WHAT are you doin ere?" He asked with menace in his voice. 

Nodoka stood up and confronted her husband. "GENMA!!" She yelled as the man in question continued to walk in their direction. "What do you _think_ you're doing coming in drunk like this. Especially while we have guests!?!" She yelled Genma pushed past her and leaned on the table to get a better look at the mutant girl. 

"He took one look at the clothes she wore and flipped. "THOSHE are NODOKA'S Clothes he yelled as he reached forward to grab the front of her shirt. Ranma had seen enough. He sent a bolt of telekinetic energy towards his father. It knocked him clear across the room and he slammed into a wall. Breaking off a piece of it.

Cyclops moved to do something about this current turn of events but Ranma stopped him. "You might as well just go Scott. There's nothing to see here. He's perfectly fine." With that he walked up the stairs to his room. Marina followed behind and the two teenage mutants slammed the doors to their rooms once the were inside. 

Nodoka looked to the other mutants and blushed. "I'm sorry about my husbands behavior he's got a drinking problem and he doesn't like mutants much at all. You should leave." Scott and the rest of the X-Men gave their understandings to the woman and headed out towards the blackbird where they entered and soon took off. Their destination New York.

Nodoka grabbed Genma and dragged him upstairs to their room she pulled out a futon for the man from the closet and set it on the floor of her room. She did not want to sleep in the same bed with him tonight.

**************

(The Next Morning)

Ranma was sleeping peacefully in the bed that he hadn't seen in ten whole years. He was more comfortable than he had been in the longest time. After sleeping on the hard ground for all the time he had been away, it was a _Very_ welcome change. He was currently dreaming about food, friends and comfortable soft cushiony beds with big fluffy pillows.... 

He felt something on his shoulders and he awoke to see who was interrupting his blissful rest. his eyes drew open to see His mother who was currently shaking his to get him awake.

"Ranma hurry up and get out of bed. You'll be late!" It was too early for Ranma to use his powers to see what she was talking about. He didn't care anyway he wanted sleep! 

The young martial artist rolled over on his side away from his mother "Go, way...don,wanna." He said as he pulled his sheets up over his shoulders. Nodoka frowned as she watched her only son just sleep through the day. 

"Honestly!" She said as she put her hands on her hips. "He's just like his father." With an exasperated sigh she headed to the bathroom. Shortly after running water could be heard. She entered back into the room and got ready to hurl the contents in the bucket she held at her son.

Ranma had already fallen back asleep as soon as his mother left. "So sooooft." He mumbled in his sleep as he nuzzled the pillow with his cheek, not unlike a cat. All of a sudden Cold fluid covered his body and he felt a familiar change occur. A change that he had gotten used to the past couple weeks. 

"Wuh, Huh...WHAT THE?" Nodoka giggled at her son..er..daughters spastic surprise. She put her hand to her mouth and giggled at the site. She looked so cute like this. Ranma groaned seeing what her mother held and figuring out exactly what had happened. "Moooom!" She moaned as she took off her shirt and wrung it out. "Why'd you do that?!" She asked fixing her mother a glare. 

Nodoka frowned as her son turned daughter took off her shirt so casually, baring her breasts without any thought. "Ranma!!" She yelled giving the shorter red head girl a glare of her own. Ranma paused looking up at her mother with a confused look. 

"Uh what'd I do?" She asked. Nodoka frowned more. 

*To not even realize she's doing it! I can't belive him!* She thought. "Ranma." She said a little quieter but still just as stern. "I know you are a man but when you are a girl you _should_ have at least a _little_ bit of feminine modesty!" Ranma let the words soak into her head and looked down at her chest. Sure enough she was female.

"Oh." Ranma said as she grabbed a shirt from her nearby dresser and slipped it over her smaller frame. The shirt was way to large for her tinier form and she almost literally swam in the thing, being that it was made for Ranma's male half. "Sorry." She continued as she blushed a little bit and shrugged. 

Nodoka smiled. Ranma's girl form was so cute. She looked so much more like her, it was uncanny. Ranma's red hair was much like Nodoka's had been at a younger age. Her's had however lost some of it's vibrancy with the years. Ranma went about getting dressed and she went down stairs to prepare breakfast.

************

Marina woke up oddly she knew in an instant that something was different. She sat up and noticed she was on a bed. It was comfortable. She had been waking up in garbage every morning for the last to years of her life. She was used to waking up every morning and rooting around in the same garbage hoping to find something to eat.

She looked around the room she was currently in. It was clean, it had flowers in lovely yet simple vases set up around the room. She sighed as she let her head hit the pillow beneath it. She hadn't had the pleasure of sleeping on a bed in a long time, let alone such a large one with several pillows. She giggled as she rolled over and played with one of the pillows. 

She smelled one of the pillows. It was fresh and clean, an experience she was more than willing to have. She looked down at the clothes she was wearing and smiled even brighter than before. She sat at the edge of the bed, pinching herself to see if it was real or not. Her scales kept it from causing her any pain but she could feel it.

She jumped up and met Mrs. Saotome in the hall heading down to the kitchen to start breakfast for her family. She smiled at the young mutant. "Good morning Marina. How did you sleep?" Marina gave Nodoka the biggest and brightest smile she could possibly give. She had to considering that the older woman was 100% human and wasn't showing any menace on her features.

"I slept better than ever before!" Marina exclaimed. As she walked with the Saotome Matriarch down the stairs. Nearly skipping the whole way down. 

Nodoka being ever the kind host asked. "Say Marina? Would you like to help make breakfast? I always wanted to have a daughter to teach how to cook." Marina's eyes sparkled with pure joy. 

"Really!?" She asked. Fearing that it may not be real, that it may all be a hallucination. Nodoka nodded. Marina squealed with delight. *A daughter.* The snake like girl thought. *She thinks of me like a daughter already.*

Marina followed Nodoka to the kitchen and they began preparing the meal.

*************

Genma woke up with a terrible head ache. *Ooooh!* He thought while he tried to sit up on the futon holding his head in pain with one hand. *What happened to me?* He couldn't really remember what had happened last night. He looked around the room and realized he was in his wife's bedroom. He stumbled towards the door on his way down to the kitchen hopefully No-chan had some aspirin.

As he opened the door he came across Ranma, who was currently going down to get breakfast. "Hey _Pop_!" Ranma said. Genma held his head in agony. His, er, daughters voice came through his mind like a bull horn. 

"H-hello Ranma." He said as he walked down stairs. Ranma looked at her father in disgust. 

"Stupid old drunk." She grinned evilly and, using telekinesis pulled the rug out from under her fathers feet. Sending him crashing to the ground. Ranma stepped on top of the overweight martial artist as he passed by and sat at the table. "Gee Pop! You should watch where your going." She said as she sat down at a random place at the table.

Genma growled. "RANMA YOU RESPE.... Ite." Genma quikly learned that hangovers and yelling didn't mix. He painfully dragged his body over to the table where he sat across from Ranma. "Stupid boy." He muttered quietly to himself. "No respect for your elders."

Ranma smiled at her Pop. *Ha, ha! Serves you right fool.*

**********

Marina looked over at the two martial artists at the table. More specifically she looked at Genma, in fear. Nodoka noticed this and put her hand on the young mutant girls shoulder. "Don't worry Rina-chan, I'm sure he'll warm up to you." She said with a motherly smile.

This did little to comfort the snake skinned Marina who could only smile weakly at the older woman. "I better stay out of site until then." She replied. Walking back to the steaming pot on the stove Marina continued to make breakfast. Nodoka frowned. 

*He better!* She thought. 

************

Nodoka soon walked out to the dining room where her family sat waiting. She carried the meal to the table and set the many pots and pans of food out. Genma drooled at the sight of his wife's home cooked meal. His headache now forgotten he dove into the food shoveling it into his mouth. Ranma too attacked the food.

Genma and his heir quickly began their martial arts dining. Each competitor taking every chance to steal food from the other. Neither noticing Nodoka standing their with a disappointed look on her face. "RANMA, GENMA!!" She yelled. Both of the Saotome males stopped their battle to stare at Her. "_What_ do you think you're _doing_?! Where's your table manners?!" She said fixing them both a glare with her hands on her hips.

Ranma and Genma apologized quickly and picked up their chopsticks. They began eating at a much slower and civilized pace. This was about the time Genma noticed that Ranma was in his cursed form. He looked to his wife in fear and then back at Ranma, then back to Nodoka again. "No-chan. Ranma didn't happen to tell you about any curse by chance did he?" He asked with sweat pouring down his face. Nodoka nodded.

"Oh you mean Jusenkyo? Yes he told me all about your curses." She said as if it were nothing. She promptly proved her point by pulling out a glass of water out of nowhere and dumping it over her husbands head. Changing him into his Jusenkyo cursed form.

Nodoka, this being her first time seeing Genma's cursed side was a little jealous now. She thought that Her husbands cursed form would be no different than he was. Fat, Lazy, and not exactly the best looker. Instead Genma looked well, beautiful. She was pretty enough to be a model she was sure. And his ponch was completely gone.

"Genma?" She asked stunned. "You look, you look, _amazing_!" She proclaimed in amazement. Genma wilted under her wife's gaze. 

"Uh thank you?" She said hoping that it was the right answer. But she was thinking something along the lines of: *I'mdead I'mdead I'mdead I'mdead I'mdead I'mdead I'mdead I'mdead I'mdead I'mdead* Genma continued eating her dinner at a slow pace. Not feeling any anger emanating from Nodoka she felt brave enough to talk. "Uhm this is a, uh, good breakfast Nodoka. It is a good change to have such a nice home cooked meal.

Nodoka smiled. "Thank you Genma _Chan_. Marina helped me cook it." She said with a smile. Genma froze. 

*Marina?* She thought. A picture of a snake skinned mutant ran through her head. Genma proceeded to spit out all of the food she was currently chewing on."PPPFFFHTTTT!! THAT MUTANT IS STILL _HERE_!?!!!" She screamed. Nodoka frowned. 

"GENMA! This is _MY_ house! If I choose Marina to stay here that is _MY_ choice!!" She yelled back. Genma Bristled at her wife's statement.

"She's a MUTANT!! No-chan how could you commune with a MUTANT!?!" Genma spat. Nodoka was very upset now. How she could have married such a racist was beyond her.

Ranma sat in between her parents watching the whole thing. She was getting upset. She thought that all that would be over now that Marina was staying here with them. She decided to but in and try to break up the tension. "Mom why don..." She never finished.

"GO TO SCHOOL!!!" Both Genma and Nodoka yelled at her. Ranma nearly wet her pants at the double demon head attack. Just then she remembered. 

"Where's the school?" She asked. Nodoka pulled out a bento from seemingly nowhere and tossed it to Ranma. 

"You'll be going to school in Nerima, at Furinkan high!" She said. Ranma wilted.

"HUH!?!" She cleverly exclaimed. "NERIMA!?! That's a whole _district_ away!!" She said. Almost unable to grasp the fact that she would have to travel so far to get to school.

Nodoka frowned at her daughter now. "Then you'll just get some good exercise running there! You are a martial artist so it should not be a problem!" Ranma sighed and her shoulders slumped. 

"Fine!" She said walking out the door with a downcast look. She didn't even realize that she was a girl at the moment. No soon er had she left the house her parents continued their argument. Ranma covered his ears as he jumped to the rooftops. *Oh I wish they would just shut up!* She thought as she traveled full speed towards The Nerima district. 

Ranma knew the way directly to Furinkan. Actually she knows her way all around Japan. She, when in Male form had pretty much downloaded memories of places from all peoples minds so that he would never get lost so he knew his way all around Japan by heart, unlike a certain lost boy that were all familiar with. So Ranma was able to find Furinkan no problem at all.

Being on time was the tricky part though.

************

Ranma was breathing heavily she had to run at full speed _with_ chi boosting. She had gotten to school but there was only about two minutes before the bell rang. He ran through the gates with the wooden plaque beside it with the words 'Furinkan high' engraved in it. Ranma decided to walk the rest of the way. She was however stopped by a boy wearing samurai clothing. "Hold fair maiden!" The boy had called.

Ranma looked over at the guy in annoyance and down at herself in disgust. *Oh great!* She thought. *I forgot I'm a girl right now!* "What yah want? I'm late enough as it is."

Kuno held out a rose that he pulled from his uniform. "Alas, that I be granted with the presence of a fair flower such as yourself. The gods must truly shine on me. Tell me fire haired goddess. What be thy name?" Ranma urpressed the urge to beat this guy to a pulp or send him to the moon.

"My name is Ran..." The boy cut her off. 

"Wait! Is it not proper to give ones own name first?" He said. "Very well than. Mine I will give." Ranma shook her head. 

"Is this guy for real?" She muttered to herself. Kuno rambled on. 

"I am the champion of the high school fencing world the speeding bullet of Furinkan High Kuno tate... Where are though going?" Ranma ran past the guy seeing that she now only had about one minute to get to class. 

*Man!* She thought. *I haven't even gotten my schedule from the office and I got idiots rambling about bullets and flowers! I do _not_ need this!* Tatewaki Kuno ran to intercept her. Ranma however did not want to be intercepted and she booted him away and into a tree. Using her telekinesis to make the impact much more forceful"Loser!" She called back as she entered the building.

************

Later Ranma wandered the halls looking for her class room. "Lessee. 12-b, 13-b, 1-E. Ah that's the one!" Ranma entered the classroom. And all eyes there were on her. The teacher who was an old guy looked over at the interruption of his class. 

"Eh who are you? What do you want I've got a class to teach." Ranma walked up to the man and gave him a slip of paper. He looked at it for a second squinting his eyes to see it better. "Oh I see! Well little girl," Ranma's eye twitched. "I'll just introduce you to the class and then you can take your seat." 

Ranma faced the class and the teacher began his introduction. "Well class it seems we have a new student in our midst. Her name is Ranma Saotome." Ranma bowed to the class. "You can go take your seat now Ranma." The old man said and Ranma went to an empty desk in the back. A girl with long black hair with blue highlights looked back at the boy turned girl and offered a hand. 

"Hi. I'm Akane Tendo." Ranma took her hand and shook it. 

"Uh Ranma Saotome." Ranma said. They let go and Akane turned back. 

"I'm just glad you aren't a _boy_. We've got enough of them perverts as it is." Ranma twitched at the statement the girl made. 

"Well class. It's time for the test." Everybody groaned seeing as this was math class. "Everybody take a paper and pass the rest on." The teacher continued to explain the rules for writing a test but no one listened. 

Aknae being ever the talkative one turned back to the new student. "To bad you had to come in right on a test. Sensei Kuromoto always gives the hardest tests." Ranma shrugged. 

"It can't be that hard." She said. Akane turned back. 

"Don't say I didn't warn you." She said as she began to write her test that had been passed to her. Ranma received her test right after Akane had handed it to her. She looked over it and shrugged.

*This doesn't look to hard.* She thought. *Hell, compared to all those mathematicians minds I've read this should be a walk through the park.* Ranma tapped Akane on the shoulder and motioned that she needed something to write with Akane dug through her pencil case and gave him a pencil. Ranma nodded his thanks and began to write the test.

(Lunch) 

Ranma walked out side and looked around for a place to sit to eat her lunch. She spotted a nice, large, shaded tree over in the middle of the court yard. She walked over and sat down where she opened up the bento and began eating. She felt a presence behind her and looked around to see Akane who was planning on sneaking up to surprise her. Akane had two other girls with her.

"Hi" She said with a little wave. Ranma nodded to her in greeting as well. 

"Hey"

"Is it all right if we eat with you Ranma? This is Yuka," Akane indicated the one girl beside her who smiled and waved at Ranma, "and Sayuri." She said motioning to the other girl beside her. Ranma gave each of the new girl a small wave and quickly returned her attention to her lunch.

The girls didn't wait for Ranma to give her permission and they sat down around her in a small circle. The girls began talking But Ranma was only interested in the food. She wasn't into all that girl stuff. Hell! Considering she's not really a girl it's understandable. "So Ranma." Yuka said. "Where do you live?" Ranma shrugged.

"Juuban." She continued eating her lunch despite the disbelieving stares coming from the three girls. 

"You're kidding. Right?" Asked Sayuri with a joking tone. Ranma shook her head.

"Naw! My mom said that it would be good exercise for a martial artist like me to get a good long run in the morning." Ranma said with a cocky smirk. 

"You had to _run_!?!" Inquired Sayuri and Yuka simultaneously. 

"Martial Arts?" Akane asked not following with her friends. "You do martial arts?" 

Ranma shrugged "Yeah. So? I've been training all my life." Akane's smile grew wider. 

"Do you want to spar sometime?" She asked enthusiastically. Ranma shook her head. Akane's smile quickly turned into a frown. "What! Why Not!?"

Ranma picked a rice ball from her lunch and popped it in her mouth. "I don't hit girls." Akane, Yuka, and Sayuri blinked. She didn't hit girls?

Before Akane could continue the argument there was a large booming sound accompanied by the ground shaking, as if there was an Earthquake. Akane and her friends fell to the ground. Ranma shot to his feet to see what was going on. In the center of the school yard there was a large Fat guy.

Ranma blinked in confusion. *Boy I wish I had my psychic powers right now. Cause fat guys falling from the sky is awfully strange.* She thought as she looked at the large tub of lard. He was soon accompanied by a man with silvery white hair. He was dressed in a green spandex suit, and seemed to appear out of nowhere. A frog-like guy with curly black hair dropped down to the ground. Ranma looked to the air where she saw A man in a purple and black cape who descended from the sky with him was a girl in a red uniform. Each of the mutants wore matching black helmets.

*Shit!* Ranma thought. *This must be the Brotherhood Cyclops was talking about!* She dropped into a fighting stance on instinct. 

"W-What the _hell is going on!?" Akane shouted. Ranma just held out his hand to her. 

"Just stay out of my way Akane! I can handle these guys." Akane frowned.

"I can take care of these stupid mutants!" She called. "I'm not defenseless!" Ranma frowned. She was about to retaliate with the girls comments, but Magneto chose that time to speak.

"Where is Saotome Ranma!" He asked in a threatening and commanding voice. Ranma wistled to the mutant leader of the brotherhood. 

"Yo! BUCKET-HEAD! I'm Ranma!" She called out to him. "What do ya want!?!" Magneto turned towards the boy turned girl. He stalked towards her, his long purple cape sending menacing shadows that shaded his features and made him look more sinister.

"I was informed that you were male. Saotome Ranma. It seems my sources have failed to state the obvious." He said in an almost amused voice. "I have come to give you an offer."

"_Can it_!" Ranma said. I already know of you and your mutant underground. And I don't want _No_ part of it!" Magneto nodded in understanding.

"I see.!" He said. "So reasoning will not join you to our side. I will have to stoop to more _extreme_ ways of persuasion." He said as he powered up his magnetic energies for an attack.

Ranma grimaced as she dodged out of the way of the magnetic force blast. *DAMN IT! This is going to be a lot harder without my psychic powers!*

She jumped far back to get more fighting space. She sized up generally what each mutant's power was and what was the extent of her power. Ranma nodded. And was about to rush forward in an attack against the frog boy and the guy in green tights when the guy in green tights who Ranma guessed was quicksilver all of a sudden dissapeared or rather moved to fast for the eye to see. Quicksilver was upon Ranma in an instant sending a flurry of punches that only Ranma was able to follow.

Quicksilver had planned on quickly ending the fight by knocking the girl out with a lightning fast barrage of punches. To his surprise Ranma blocked every blow. And he retaliated just as fast knocking quicksilver across the schoolyard knocking him out. *Impossible!* Was his last thought as he landed at Magneto's feet.

Ranma took a general anything goes stance and motioned for the others to bring it on in.

**********

(Off in the shadows beyond the school walls.)

*[This is impossible! That boy knows about the chestnut fist! That is a secret technique of our tribe that is forbidden to outsiders knowledge. How could this girl know of this?]* Shampoo thought as she stared at the smaller redhead girl who was fighting the strangely dressed foreigners with the strange powers and appearances. *[I must inform great-grandmother of this.]* 

The young amazonian fighter stalked off to her small hotel room. Where she would find a telephone to contact her village.

************

(In the Furinkan schoolyard.)

Ranma dodged another Hex blast from the Scarlet Witch. She also had to evade the earthshaking blows from the ever unmovable Blob, the agile Toad leapt from the walls and trees in the schoolyard, and she was under constant barrage from Magneto and his mass powers. 

The young telekinetic martial artist dodged one of toads kicks and sent the frog boy to the wall of the school with her telekinesis. Toad smashed into the brick wall knocking him unconscious, He fell to the ground and was no longer a threat to Ranma.

Ranma now had three opponents to take care of. Ranma formed his Astral katana and leapt towards the Blob. Getting ready to strike at the incredibly fat mans head. She was stopped however by Magneto who snatched the girl out of the air with his Magnetic powers. Ranma struggled but it was no use.

"Looks like you win Magneto." She spat. "I guess that now you'll take me to your supposed Mutant utopia and brainwash me huh?" Magneto shook his head and hovered up to the boy turned girl eye to eye. 

"Young mutant. I only ask that you join us. It is not our want to destroy humanity but to show them the errors of their mutant hating ways. We are not freaks you and I but rather the next level of mans evolution." Ranma would have knocked the guy flat on his ass were it not that she was at his mercy.

"Save it Bucket-head! I told you that I won't be joining your little group of human haters. I am a part of humanity and damn proud of it so you can take your offer and shove it up your..."

Magneto cut her off and continued. "I will not give up on you Ranma Saotome. I need somebody of your particular skills. It would make my world vision a much simpler task to accomplish." He said in a calm cool voice that belayed his emotions. Ranma however could see the mans raw hatred for the human race in his eyes as clearly as day.

"You know what?" Ranma asked the man. "You sound a lot like Hitler." Ranma continued. "Yeah according to my sources(reading peoples minds) Hitler thought that his Aryan race was the next Evolution of man. Yeah he said that that was his world vision. Just like you." Magneto was visibly getting angrier.

"Don't talk to me in such terms girl. _I_ am the master of magnetism. The humans are afraid of the power we possess so they wish to destroy us! We must act first! We can not allow them to systematically destroy us! Join the Brotherhood and you will _see_!" Ranma powered up his telekinesis and let loose a telekinetic force blast, breaking the magnetic barrier around herself.

She kept a telekinetic field up so that he couldn't do it again. She stepped back and took a martial arts stance. Magneto looked down at the girl with understanding. "Well young one you will see the error of your ways. I see you will not come with us without a fight. Very well then, we shall take our leave." Magneto called out to the remainder of the brotherhood that was still standing and he used his Magnetic powers to carry the ones that had been knocked unconscious. 

The man took off into the distance and soon the brotherhood was gone. It was about that time that the school bell rang. Ranma casually walked into the school as if nothing had happened. The Furinkan gossipers were buzzing around the school for the rest of the day about the mutants and of course, the new kid.

************

(Tendo Dojo later that day.)

Kasumi answered the phone and called into the receiver with the ever pleasant tone that was often melodious in it's serenity. "Hello? Tendo residence." Her smile faltered into a serious tone. "Yes? Alright then. When should I...? Yes. Okay I'll try. Bye." She finished off in her beautiful caring voice again and hung up the phone.

In the distance off into the house Soun Tendo sat looking out into the backyard at the koi pond. "Who was it Kasumi? He called out to his daughter. The eldest of the three Tendo girls smiled pleasantly. {like she ca smile anyway else?} "It was no one father. Just a pesky salesman. Soun nodded. He had secretely hoped that it would be his good old friend Genma.

Soun had gotten a letter in the mail a few days ago saying that Genma was bringing Ranma from china where he had at long last finished the boys training in the art. Soun sighed. He sighed heavily. *where are you Genma?* He thught gloomily. *You should have been here by now.* Soun sunk deeper and deeper into his depressive funk. When the phone rang again. We waved it off choosing to ignore the ringing to sit and moon over his problems. "Could you get that Kasumi?" He called out into the practically empty house.

"Okay father." Came the sweet reply as Kasumi walked over to pick up the phone to answer. "Moshi Moshi?" She stood there holding the receiver to her ear and just listened for a few seconds before covering the mouthpiece with one hand and calling out Soun. "Father? There's a call for you. Somebody named Genma Saotome. Do you know...?" Soun was at the phone before she could finish tearing the receiver from her hands.

"Hello? Hello? Genma? Oh how good it is to hear your voice! I've been so worried! Where's Ranma? Why haven't you brought him over like you said?!" Soun looked angry again but his expression quickly changed as he listed to the other end. "Oh Nodoka. Never mind then old friend, all is forgiven."

Soun nodded a couple times as he listened to the man on the other end talk for a bit. "Right then so dinner at your place tomorrow? Well be there."

***********

{Well that's the third chapter of Astral minds. The battle with the Brotherhood has ensued and promises future trouble. And what are Soun and Genma up to? (Do you need to ask?) And what was that mysterious phone call that Kasumi received? This stories coming along very well and I'd like to thank several of my readers for giving me their ideas. They certainly contributed much to bring you this next chapter. This story is far from over though. 

Any way this story is the favorite of my readers. The poll has spoken! You have the power. I never thought that this would be the most popular of my fics when I started writing. (Which is about two months ago) I thought that it would be Adamantium Rage or Saotome Blade. Oh well Astral Minds is just getting good now it's my favorite too. Well write any C&C's to me at: anime_morden@crystal-tokyo.com. 

I will be putting a poll on my site every Friday. (Or when ever I feel like it) They are easy to use and I get more feedback from them than I do my guest book or E-mail. So vote at the poll. You _have_ the power! You can change the future! Well... that's all from me so see you next time.}

Http://josh_vh.tripod.com/mordensranmapage/


	4. Secrets and Engagements

Astral Minds

Astral Minds

Disclaimer: Ranma ½ and all related characters do not belong to me. None of the X-Men belong to me either.

* *: Thoughts

Capital letters: Shouting or loud noises

{ }: Author's own thoughts

_ _: Stressed words

[ ]: Chinese Language

: Psychic Projections

Chapter 4

Secrets and Engagements

A figure sat in the dark holding a telephone, although you could hardly tell it was a person at all. It looked more like a troll, or a living prune, or a mummy. ["I see."] Said the troll in a hoarse raspy voice. ["So the girl knows the chestnut fist."] the dark prune like figure sat back and the light shone on, um, her face. Cologne was not happy an outsider had somehow learned an ancient amazon technique.

["What should I do great grandmother?"] asked a young voice on the other end of the phone. Cologne continued, a plan coming to her mind. 

["You know what you must do Shampoo! You must _kill_ the girl! I will come to Juuban and help should the task become dangerous. Wait for me to arrive before you take any actions. Do you understand?"] Shampoo nodded. You might wonder how an ancient amazon who lives in a village, that looks like it was made in the sixth century, would have a phone. Well they have their _contacts_.

Shampoo agreed to Colognes order, (not that she had a choice), and hung up the phone that she was using at the run down hotel. She turned around to see a couple of thugs behind her. "What you want?" She asked giving the small group of three men an impatient glare.

The man heading the little pack spoke. He was a large burly man with a receding hair line and too, too much body hair. He wore a white muscle shirt that was covered with sweat stains. His rough, dirty, ripped to shreds black jeans where a mess, He was currently smoking a cigar. "Hey _girly_. Me and my friends was thinkin maybe you and us could get together for a little _fun_." Shampoo attempted to ignore him and walk past the man and his goons, but he grabbed her by the arm stopping her. "We're not really giving you a choice." He said with a little menace.

Shampoo turned and glared at him for a second before flipping him into a wall. "Leave alone!" She yelled as he impacted with the wall. This was, to the other two goons, impossible. The girl was to small to hurl him like that.

"NOBU!" The one more concerned gang member yelled out. He was short and thin he wore a leather jacket that was pretty old and worn out, his hair was black and curly, he wore tight jeans, he was obviously the pretty boy of the group. The other guy who was tall with short cropped blonde hair stepped towards Shampoo with a switch blade that he had just released. 

"Big mistake little girl!" He said as he swung the blade at Shampoo who swung back and kicked him in the chin sending him towards the other side of the room. The tall blonde man impacted with a table breaking it in two. Shampoo looked at the small pretty boy who had just gotten out of his shock and was now attacking with his bare fists. He swung several times but the purple haired amazon dodged every one with ease. She ducked under one of his punches and came back up with a clawed hand slicing four large gashes across his face.

He fell back on to the ground holding his face in pain. "AAAAAAAAHHHH MY FACE!!" He screamed. As he stumbled around the large room holding his face with his hands. Nobu who had just woken up from his location on the ground looked up at the girl who now sported two sets of nasty claws, that extended out of each finger. She looked at him with inhuman eyes that were yellow and seemed to glow with a feline amusement.

"Y-Y-Your a _MUTANT_!!" Nobu screamed at the girl. Shampoo looked confused.

"Not know what you talk about! Am warrior! Tribe respect power." Nobu got up off of the floor and ran away, leaving his two partners behind. 

"I'm _OUTA_ here!" He yelled as he rushed out the door. *Ain't messin with no mutie!* He thought as he ran down the street towards anywhere but here. Shampoo shrugged as she watched the burly man run. She collected her self and headed out the same door taking to the rooftops to find Ranma Saotome.

She took no notice of the damage that she had left behind, or the frightened clerk behind the dirty counter muttering to himself. "M-my hotel...M-mutants."

*************

Ranma walked through the streets of Juuban heading towards home it was a fairly hot day out so she had stopped to get an ice cream. She found her girl form to be quite useful in getting free eats. She had only paid ten yen and gotten one of the largest sundaes there was at the small ice cream parlor. She patted her belly with a smile on her face. Of course she frowned as soon as she realized something. *Damn! I should have gotten some hot water while I was there!* 

The petite red head girl continued on down the street towards her home. It was within her sight now. Food was the first thing to come across her mind and she speeded up her pace, being that it was supper time by now. Ranma leapt up onto a concrete wall and bounded for the Saotome household.

She landed down in the court yard and headed towards the open front door. She found Marina sitting cross legged at the table sipping some tea. He could hear Nodoka cleaning up in the kitchen and she took her place at the table. "Hey Rina." She said cheerfully to the mutant girl beside her. "Dinner ready yet?" Marina smiled.

"No Ranma, dinner is not ready. It will be soon though. Your father has invited some guests over for dinner." She said. Thinking on how nice it would be to have more friends, but also fearing that they may reject her.

Ranma was shocked out of his pleasant chat with her friend at her words. *Oh No! _Pop_ invited guests!? I better get some hot water he's probably got something stupid planned!* "Scuse me." Ranma said as she stood up and headed to the kitchen.

She saw Nodoka there working with pots and pans and many other dishes, trying to get supper ready on time for the guests. "Hey Mom?" Ranma began. She didn't however get to continue as she was cut off by Nodoka who spun around and gave the girl a quick hug. 

"Welcome home Ranma." She said. She let go of her, grabbed a kettle that was sitting on a burner and handed it to the girl. "Here, change to normal and get dressed up. Your a mess. I don't want any arguments tonight. Soun is an old friend of Genma's and I want you on your best behavior." Ranma looked a little flabbergasted but nodded and headed to her room to get changed, in more ways than one.

Ranma closed the door to her room and got out a fresh pair of clothes from her drawer. She didn't have to many clothes and she made a note to herself to get some later on. She threw the clothes on the bed and then poured the contents of the kettle over her head. The change was instantaneous and she was now once again male. Ranma did a quick check on his powers and then his jaw dropped as he picked up the giddy thoughts of Genma Saotome his Father. *Oh Geeze! He _wouldn't_!*

************

The door bell rang. Genma who was in the living room jumped at the sound and rushed to greet the visitors. Genma didn't have to open the door being that it was left open to keep the house cool. He grabbed the thin middle aged man with the long black hair and the mustache in a firm hug. "Tendo!" He cried with tears streaming down his face.

"Saotome!" The other man cried much the same tears pouring from his eyes in buckets, threatening to dehydrate himself. The three young teenage girls who had accompanied the dark haired man, Akane who was one of them, looked on with disgust. 

*Uuugh! Two grown men!* Akane thought as she looked on at the scene with a scowl. Kasumi the eldest of the three Tendo sisters stood behind the other girl smiling pleasantly. She wasn't fazed at all by the scene. Nodoka came up behind her husband and smiled to the three girls at the door.

"Please come this way girls dinner is ready." She said in a pleasant motherly voice. The three girls followed the woman into the home. Ranma sat at the table scowling at his lap, thinking about the stupid plans his father had. Nabiki, the middle Tendo sister, looked at the boy and gave him a smirk that promised torment. 

*Hmm.* She thought. *He's a looker. I could profit well off a man like that.* Ranma looked up at the middle Tendo girl with a little bit of a smirk of his own. Nabiki pulled back her thoughts and looked away from the boy. *Creepy.* She thought. *It's like he was reading my mind.* She was right on the dot and Ranma had to keep from laughing. The thoughts he had read from his father had made sure of that though.

Marina was sitting beside the Jusenkyo cursed boy, half hidden by Ranma. Akane caught site of the girl however and stopped in her tracks, just staring. Marina looked away from the youngest Tendo girl and cringed. She had seen that look way to many times before. "MUTANT!" Akane screamed as she pointed at the snake-like girl and backed away.

Marina was about to get up and leave but Ranma stopped her with a firm hand placed on her shoulder. "Stay." He said to the girl, "They can deal with it." Ranma frowned as he glared at his father. Intents of mind spiking the fat martial artist ran through his mind and he nearly smiled at it.

Genma came in with Soun and led the girls over to the table. They all sat down Akane sat on the opposite side across from Marina, glaring at the girl. Soun was to giddy to Notice Marina and so was Genma. Nodoka went to the kitchen and got the feast she had prepared. She set it on the table sat down and they all gave thanks.

The meal proceeded normally, however Genma and Soun had kept on looking at each other and smiling. After the majority of the meal was eaten Genma stood up. With a glass of wine. He tapped the wine glass with his knife to get everyone's attention. *Here we go.* Ranma thought as he rolled his eyes.

"Everyone." Genma said. "As you all probably know, me and Soun have been friends for a long time, well before you all were born. He and I had made a pact long ago as well to unite the Tendo and Saotome schools of anything goes martial arts. I have been training my son Ranma here in the art so that he may one day take over." Soun stood up and continued not able to hold in his excitement anymore. 

"So one of you girls will be marrying Ranma." He said. Silence fell over all present. 

"WHAT!" yelled Nabiki and Akane simultaneously. Akane continued. "I won't marry him!" She yelled as she stood up and slammed her hands on the table. "He's just another pervert _BOY_!"

"There's no need to yell." Said Nodoka trying to calm the girls temper. She looked over at Genma. "Is this not a bit sudden husband?" She asked. Genma shrugged. Ranma stood up. All eyes were now on him.

"That's _it_!" He said as he glared at Genma. "I'm not putting up with your _crap_ anymore! I'm tired of you trying to sell me off to everyone. Now your making me marry some stranger just so you could have an early retirement! What the _HELL_ is wrong with you!?!" He yelled. Genma looked shocked.

"How did you..." He began.

"I can read your mind!" Ranma continued. "I've been able to read your mind since I was six years old! Do you know why I can do this?" He asked. Genma started to shake his head. Ranma continued on without hesitation. "It's because I'm a MUTANT!!" Genma couldn't take it anymore and fainted. 

"I will accept the engagement." everyone looked over at the speaker stunned. Akane and Nabiki looked at Kasumi in total confusion. Akane got angry. 

"KASUMI! You _can't_ be engaged to him! He's a m-m-MUTANT!" Kasumi did not retaliate she just sat there smiling. Ranma too was confused. For some reason he could not read her mind to figure out her reasons.

*She must be blocking my powers somehow.* He thought. *How could an ordinary...* The answer hit him like a ton of bricks. *Mutant* Akane was still voicing her reluctance to accept the engagement. 

"Kasumi mutants are evil! You can't marry him he's a...FREAK!" Kasumi ignored the younger girl. "Being a boy is bad enough but he's also a _Mutant_!" Kasumi finally acknowledged Akane.

"Akane," She began, "Please stop stating the obvious." Kasumi took a sip of the tea that was in front of her. "After all I am one too." Akane was too stunned to process the information that her sister had just given her.

Soun was crying. But he didn't seem to hear all of the revelations that had been revealed after Kasumi accepted the engagement. "The schools will finally be joined! WAAAAAAAHHH!" Nodoka looked on at the scene of chaos in front of her. First her son reveals his powers, Kasumi turns out to be a mutant, Genma fainted, and the Akane girl seemed to be disgusted by both males and mutants.

"What a mess." She muttered to herself. She noticed that the only person who didn't seem to affected by any of this was Nabiki. Who just sat there watching everyone. "I think it's time you took your family and went home Soun." She said out loud. Soun Tendo turned the rainstorm down to just a light shower. 

The Tendo patriarch led the girls out the door. "Come on girls. We need to get some sleep." Kasumi walked behind her father totally unfazed by the events, Nabiki followed only she had her trademark ice queen smirk on her face. Akane followed like a zombie of some sort. She stared off into nowhere in particular.

*************

(Three hours later)

Genma's eyes fluttered open as he regained consciousness. "Ohhhh. I had the most horrible dream." He exclaimed. He got up and stalked over to the kitchen where Ranma, Nodoka, and Marina were currently talking. Genma's curiosity got the better of him and he decided to creep up and see what it was they were chatting about. He peered around the corner to see. 

Nodoka was currently glaring at Ranma. "Ranma, that was a very stupid thing telling your father that your a mutant. He wouldn..." Ranma cut her off putting his hands up to stop her verbal assault. 

"Please keep it down Mom. Pops spying on us." Nodoka stopped and then walked over to Genma's location after Ranma pointed the fat martial artist out. 

*My son is a mutant.* Genma thought in shock just before Nodoka grabbed his ear and led him into the kitchen. Ranma leaned against the kitchen counter with a tired look on his face.

Genma tried to get away but Nodoka insured that he stayed. "Yes Genma, Our son is a mutant. Just like Marina, he is a mutant." She said sternly just before letting go of his ear right in front of Ranma. Genma looked away not wanting to look his son in the eye. 

"Well _Boy_! I guess this is why you have that soft spot for those freaks." He said with disgust. "Reading minds! How does that make you a Mutant!" He said. "For all you know those powers are just pure coincidence." Ranma walked away headed for his room. Seeing in Genma's mind that no matter what he said the man was convinced that Ranma was not a Mutant.

"Your in denial! _Genma_!" Ranma said as he ran up to his room. Marina could see that Nodoka wanted to have a _talk_ with Genma. She hastily ran after Ranma.

***********

Marina was about to knock on Ranma's door but the doorknob turned on it's own and the door swung open. "Come in." Came Ranma's voice from inside the room. Marina entered cautiously and she spotted Ranma lying on his bed looking up at the ceiling. "What do you want Marina?" He asked without emotion.

Marina walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. Ranma smirked. "Why do I even need to ask? I can read your mind." He said with humor and sadness in his voice all at once. Marina put her hand on his shoulder and smiled at him, feeling that words weren't needed at all. Ranma put his hand over hers and smiled back slightly. 

"Thanks." He said. "I really need it." Marina nodded in understanding.

"I know. My parents were afraid of me when I began to mutate." She said, her voice cracking a bit at the memory. "They threw me out and I've been on the run from humanity ever since. This is the first real home I've had in nearly two years." She paused bringing up the pictures and emotions from two years ago to the forefront of her mind, knowing that Ranma would see and feel all that she did. She wanted him to know that she knew how he was feeling. 

Ranma smiled and sat up. "Do you think he can change without my making him?" He asked her. Marina didn't know how to answer that. She had seen how Genma reacted when he saw her, now he's found out that his only son is a mutant as well. She shook her head.

"I don't know." She said truthfully. "But...If we try maybe we can get him to have a little bit of a change of heart, with time." Ranma nodded. Marina continued. "And who knows if we could change him, maybe, just maybe we can change the world." Ranma smiled wide and sat up beside Marina.

"Your right." He said a new spark of hope entering his eyes. "From now on I'm gonna devote my time to helping mutants. I could teach them how to defend themselves. I could create a team like Charles Xavier and we could use all our powers to help mutants and normal humans alike." He said.

Marina smiled just wide. "It's good to hear you say that." She said, "I want to help also." Ranma nodded. He leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. She blushed and held a hand over her mouth to hide the smile that had formed on her lips.

"Thanks Rina." Ranma said. "Listen I gotta get to school tomorrow and I need to sleep. So I guess I'll see you in the morning?" Ranma said. Marina nodded. 

"Yes I'll get to sleep too." She said as she stood up and headed for the door. "I will see you in the morning." She then rushed out the door and rushed to her room. She shut the door and changed into the Pajamas that Nodoka had given her the other night. She rolled into the guest bed, turned off the lamp on the night stand, and closed her eyes. She fell asleep very soon and found herself dreaming about the kiss Ranma had given her. Her dreams of course altered the kiss into something a little more deep. 

Over in the other Room Ranma blushed. *I think I over did it just a little bit.* He thought just before falling asleep himself.

************

(Back in the kitchen)

"Nodoka. How could our only son be a mutant?!" Genma asked. "I've been raising the boy on my own since he was six years old! How will the schools be joined now?!" Genma began to ramble. "Maybe he's not, it's just a coincidence. I've never seen him use any powers before. He's messing with my head. But what if he is? We'll have to disown him."

Nodoka glared at her husband with anger. "Genma _STOP IT!_ I will not disown my only son just because he's different! I haven't seen him in ten years!" Genma glared back. 

"But he's a _Mutant_!" He said. 

"I don't care if he's a chimpanzee! He's my son! Now Genma you will learn to deal with Ranma's differences! Do you understand me?!" Nodoka said.

"But the pledge..." Genma started.

"If you do not, I will go through with the consequences of unmanliness that I had you pledge when you took Ranma on that trip!" Genma gulped at his harsh words. She would most definitely gain custody of the boy and he was not ready to live alone, of course Tendo might give him a room...

Nodoka's icy glare broke through the fat man's idiotic reverie and he nodded hesitantly. "Good!" Nodoka said. "Now about this pledge of yours and Soun's. I think Ranma is too young to be getting engaged to some girl."

Genma's jaw dropped. "NO! The boy is a great man he is definitely ready to marry one of the Tendo girls! It's for the sake of the anything goes schools!" Nodoka smiled and turned away.

"Well one of those Tendo girls is a mutant too you know." She said. Genma's jaw dropped once again. 

"WAAAAHHH?" He intelligently implored. Nodoka nodded. 

"That's right dear one of the girls had revealed it at dinner when you passed out. She also accepted the engagement." If Genma's jaw dropped any more it would have put a large pot hole in the tiled kitchen floor.

"You mean...?" Genma's idiotic mind began too plot. *Hmmm? If the boy is a mutant and his wife is a mutant with super powers I'll have my early retirement and then...theeen.* Genma got an evil looking smirk on his face. *And if I can find some cure for their mutation then there'll be no more trouble!* 

Nodoka didn't like the look her husband was getting on his face. *Uh Oh! That's how he and Soun used to look whenever they where planning something stupid.* She frowned at Genma. *I hope it's not too dangerous.*

Genma composed himself and looked Nodoka in the eye seriously. "Yes my wife I will apologize too Ranma and I will respect his differences."

Nodoka put her hands on her hips. "Not just Ranma." She said sternly.

Genma sighed. "Okay. I'll respect Ranma's, and all other mutants, differences." Nodoka nodded. And folder her arms across her chest.

"That's better!" *I hope.*Nodoka knew she'd have to keep an extra carful eye out on Genma he was ssneaky and dumb and would probably get Ranma into a lot of trouble.

***************

The next day Ranma awoke to the smells of breakfast. *Ahhh. Marina's cooking.* He thought as he scanned the kitchen to see what was being made. *Eggs, toast, noodles. Breakfast of champions.

Ranma got out of bed and got dressed quickly he then rushed down the stairs as fast as he could hoping to get as much food in his belly as he possibly could before he and Marina had to head for school. "Good morning Ranma." Nodoka said as she met him at the bottom of the stairs.

"Mornin mom." Ranma cheerfully replied. He headed for the table awaiting to be served. He wasn't disappointed and his snake skinned friend soon exited the kitchen and set the food on the table. 

"Here you go Ranma." Marina said as she set a plate heaping with food in front of Ranma. 

"Thanks." He replied as he started shoveling all the food down his throat. He decided that now would be an opportune time to try out his new telekinetic idea that had come to him last night. Genma had his face buried in the morning paper. Ranma wiped his mouth and looked over to Marina who was daintily picking at her reasonably smaller portion of food. "Hey Rina. Looking forward to school today?"

Marina nearly choked on her food at Ranma's casual question. "_S-s-School_!?" she asked surprised. "But I'm hideous I'd be singled out and everyone would hate me!" She said with a saddened expression. Ranma shook his head.

"I don't see why." Ranma started you look perfectly normal. 

Marina blushed. "Your just saying that." 

Genma who had not been paying attention to the conversation Ranma was having looked up from the paper to see Ranma talking to a normal looking girl, the girl had a long brown ponytail running down her back. And her skin was a soft looking as silk. "Who are you?" He asked. *I didn't see anyone come in.*

Marina looked over at Genma in confusion. "Saotome-san how could you not recognize me?" She said pointing to herself in emphasis.

Genma shook his head. "I've never seen you before in my life girl." He said. "I would have remembered such a pretty face." Marina blushed furiously. Ranma smiled and directed a mental message to Marina.

Marina. I made you look normal. Ranma began. Marina spoke out loud.

"But how?" 

Please Marina just think the words I can read them directly from your mind. 

Marina nodded. *How did you make me look normal? Is it permanent?* Ranma mentally shook his head.

No. It's a telekinetic projection. Ranma began.

Marina was confused and it showed on her face. *What's that?* Ranma began to explain.

Well I can use my telekinetic powers to create images and illusions just like I can with my psychic powers this way we can both go to school together and have a little bit of normality. Marina smiled.

*So I can finally do all the things normal teenagers do now?* Marina began to think of all the things that she could now do instead of being cooped up in the house all the time.

Ranma cut off her thoughts. Weeeeeeell... It's a little bit more complicated than that. You and I are the only ones who see you how you really are, others see you as a pretty average teenage girl with brown hair. However the illusion only works on the eyes. If you were to shake someone's hand they would be able to feel your scales and maybe even figure out that your a mutant.

Marina's face turned into a saddened frown. *So I can't have any physical contact.* She thought.

Ranma looked apologetic. Yeah pretty much, but Hey! You can still touch me I wouldn't even know the difference. He thought trying to give her a little bit of confidence. 

Marina smiled at the pigtailed psychic. *Yeah your right.*

Genma looked at Ranma and Marina as the two had their mental conversation with each other. Their expressions were changing again and again, yet no word had been spoken between them. *Strange kids.* Genma thought. *I'll never understand the youth of today.

Nodoka came out of the hall way and fixed Ranma with a glare. "RANMA!" Ranma jerked out of his seat and his mom picked up a bento off the counter and threw it at him. "Get out the _door_! You'll be late for school!" Ranma looked at the clock and saw that he only had about fifteen minutes to get all the way to Furinkan.

"Oh No!" He exclaimed as he got up and headed for the door. He remembered something at the last minute and rushed back to the table. He picked up a glass of water and splahed himself turning himself into a girl again. He looked over at Marina who still had the illusion placed on her. "Come On Rina!" 

With that Ranma rushed over to Marina and picked her up, cradling her in her arms. "What are you..." She began but was cut off by her own screams as the boy turned girl leapt to the rooftops and headed for school.

************

Akane walked to school no emotion crossed her face as she thought back to the events of the previous night and the revelations that had been voiced at the dinner. *I can't believe Kasumi is a mutant.* She thought she then though back to the talk they had after the dinner once they got back home.

(Flashback)

The Tendo family entered the Tendo household each person having a different expression on their faces. Kasumi entered first and began folding the laundry. Akane approached and then.

"MUTANT!?!" The youngest Tendo daughter screamed startling Kasumi out of her wits. "You were joking back there right Kasumi? Your not a mutant you were just joking right?" Akane said hopefully. She had seen on the news several times about how dangerous mutants were. The news said that they were all evil and sought to take over the world and get rid of humanity.

Kasumi looked at Akane strangely. "What are you talking about Akane?" Akane sighed. She was relieved.

"Oh thank god you were just joking Kasumi!" She said nearly dropping to the floor in relief. "When you said you were a mutant I nearly had a heart attack. It's bad enough that you accepted that engagement I mean..."

"Oh course I'm a mutant. Why would I lie to you about a thing like that?" Kasumi asked confused as to why her sister would think she would lie to her own family.

Akane once again froze in shock. "You mean you are a mu-mut..." Kasumi nodded. Akane stepped back. "G-Get a-away...f-f-from me you evil mutant!" Akane warned as she backed away from her older sister. Kasumi looked at Akane horrified.

"Evil!?! Akane how could you say something like that!?" Kasumi said. "Ever since mother died I've taken care of all of you and now you say I'm evil just because I carry an extra couple of chromosomes that make me a little different?! I'm so ashamed of you Akane!" Nabiki walked up behind Kasumi with her trademark smirk on her face. 

"Well I think it's cool." She said. 

"Nabiki! How can you say that she's a mutant!" Akane almost screamed. Nabiki ignored her and continued on, while she examined Kasumi. 

"So what do you do Oneechan?" Nabiki asked. "And how did you manage to keep it a secret from me of all people all these years?" Kasumi smiled glad to see at least one of her sister had a little bit of sense.

"Well I..."

"Mutant? What's this about a mutant?" Soun asked as he finally stopped his waterworks and came around the corner to see what was going on. Nabiki answered his question for him.

"Kasumi is a mutant and she's just revealing that now." She said, a little excitement hidden withing her voice. Soun just shrugged his shoulders.

"Stranger things have happened to me and Genma on our old training trips." He said and then began to walk away. Akane was now getting angry.

"DAD! How could you just _Shrug_ this off!?! She's a mutant!" Soun just looked to his daughter in confusion. 

"So?"

Akane stormed off to her room. "Your all INSANE!" She screamed and then she slammed her door and lay on her bed. *My sisters a freak* She thought before she fell asleep.

(PRESENT)

Akane humphed and turned her nose to the air as she thought of this. *Their all a bunch of mutant lovers!* She thought angrily. Her features softened a bit. *But she is my sister... No! She's a mutant and their _Evil_!* She entered the gates not noticing the horde of male students rushing towards her yelling her name and proclamations of love. She just about walked right into the crowd of armed males but was suddenly stopped.

Ranma was soaring over the roof tops almost literally as she leapt thirty feet distances over the buildings. She held Marina in her arms who wore blue jeans and a blue sweater that came down just to her elbows. However the snake skinned girl looked like a normal brown haired teenage girl thanks to Ranma's mutant powers.

At first Marina had been scared out of her mind of the roof leaping that Ranma was partaking in but after about two minutes she became very confidant that she would not drop her. Now? She was just bored. She sighed. "Are we there yet Ranma?" She asked as she looked up into the redhead's large blue eyes.

Ranma nodded. "Yeah we're almost there." She replied. She took one last giant leap and landed on the outer wall that surrounded the school. Shee set Marina down. The snake skinned girl, with the full body illusion placed on her, put her hands on her hips.

She cleared her throat. "AHEM!" Ranma looked over to her with confusion.

"What?" Marina rolled her eyes. 

"You could at least set me on solid ground." She said as she motioned to the grassy earth below the wall. "I'd probably break both my legs jumping down from this high." Ranma put her hand up and scratched the back of her head in a gesture that Marina found way too cute.

"Oh yeah, heh, sorry bout that Rina." Shee said. She picked her up and jumped down to the ground. Ranma immediately noticed the hundred or so boys in various sporting equipment running towards the gates of school and she decided to go and see what was going on. "Wait here." She told Marina as he jumped back onto the wall to get a better vantage point.

"Okay" Marina said as she watched the pigtailed Martial artist run off. She sighed. And sat on the ground to wait. Not knowing what else there was to do.

*************

Ranma was shocked apparently all of those boys were planning on beating up Akane. Who was spaced out and headed right for the crowd. It didn't take a psychic to know that. The pack was almost upon the girl and Ranma jumped down. She lifted the Tendo girl into her arms and leapt up to the schools surrounding wall. She set Akane down and jumped into the fray. "Wait here!" She told the dark haired girl. "I'll take care of this."

Akane wasn't even paying attention until the part where Ranma said she was going to take care of the fight. Her fight. *How _DARE_ she interfere in my fights!* Akane thought as she fumed over the days current event.

The Furinkan Akane admirers almost stopped in their tracks as Onna-Ranma jumped down and began to beat the living CRAP outa them. Many looked confused, many ran away seeing that she was kicking their ass's. Others didn't even notice her and continued after Akane. Ranma ran through the morning mob like a hot knife through butter.

The pigtailed girl spin kicked one of the hockey clad boys and then followed through with a right hook to one of the tennis clubs boys. She did a back flip, catching the Sumo team captain by the neck in mid flip, and threw him into a group of various males flattening them totally. Akane jumped down from her perch and began attacking the boys as well.

Ranma noticed this and yelled out to her. "AKANE! I SAID I'D TAKE CARE OF THEM!" She said as she knocked another three boys out with a spin kick combo. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?!" Akane just frowned at the redhead. 

"THIS IS MY FIGHT! I DIDN'T ASK FOR _YOUR_ HELP!!!" She screamed back as she just plowed through about ten boys like a human sized bowling ball. Ranma rolled her eyes as she upper-cutted one boy onto the roof of the school and elbowed someone who had come up behind her.

"OH COME ON AKANE! IF I HADN'T GOTTEN HERE WHEN I HAD YOU WOULD HAVE GOTTEN YOUR ASS KICKED!!" Ranma screamed back. Akane just humphed and knocked out the last of the male students through a wall. Akane walked towards the entrance to school. 

"I can take care of my _self_!" she said as she entered the building. Ranma just stared off after her in amazement. Marina walked up behind her and put her hand on her shoulder. Ranma motioned for the snake mutant to follow as he entered the building.

"Let's go." He said. "We still got to get you registered." Marina nodded and followed the Jusenkyo cursed boy into the building.

*************

Beyond the school walls in the bushes Shampoo and Cologne lay waiting for the right moment to strike. Shampoo marveled at the strength and skill of the girl and felt a little regretful that they had to get rid of such talent. "Great grandmother why must we kill girl?" She asked. Cologne bopped her on the head with her staff.

"Girl the secrets of our tribe must not be known by outsiders! If we allow this girl to live she may teach others and then the secrets of our tribe will be known to all! We _can't_ let that happen. It is your duty as champion to kill the girl." The gnarled old woman said in a crackly voice that held wisdom of the ages. "Now don't disappoint me! I want you to keep it quiet. she is powerful and may give you trouble."

Shampoo nodded and then turned her smooth hands into large, razor sharp, feline, claws. "Yes great grandmother." Shampoo leapt over the wall and into the courtyard. She crept along quietly, not making a sound at all. She extended her claws and latched onto the concrete wall of the school then began climbing up to the second floor where Ranma's period one class was.

She smiled. Her prey was standing at the front of the class talking to her teacher about something. Shampoo balled her hand into a fist, and punched a hole through the wall, leaping through the hole and towards the startled girl claws poised for a quick clean kill.

***************

{That's chapter four of Astral Minds. Tell me what you think of it and also of any idea's you may have for future chapters. I spent most of my time the other day writing this while listening to Sum 41, which is by the way a kick ass band, and Blink 182's new album. I really like punk rock music. It all started with Green Day. Anyway The next chapter is Ranma's showdown with Shampoo, What are Marina's powers? what are Kasumi's powers? What is Genma planning? Who's the new mutant? All this and more in ASTRAL MINDS Chapter 05. I'll be starting Dragon's bond as soon as I'm finished chap 05 then I'll be doing a bit more on Saotome blade. And for those of you who like Agasaki Ishano's X-Prov, chapter two of that will be out very soon. For those that like to laugh. 

Adamantium Rage is on suspension. I'm going to be working on DB in place of it. Those of you that love Slayers are going to love this. Those of you that really liked AR will be a little disappointed but I have no idea how to write chapter 02. From now until the end of summer, beginning of school, I will be updating only once or twice every two weeks maybe. I know it sucks but life's a bitch. If anyone wants to write the second chapter to AR they can go ahead and do it, then they can send it to me and I'll go over it and fix it up a bit so that it fits in the way I want with the story. I do have big plans for AR it's just writers block or something.

That's all my ramblings see yah next time.

Morden Night}


	5. Catgirls and a Flight to Catch

Astral Minds

Astral Minds

Disclaimer: Ranma ½ and all related characters do not belong to me. None of the X-Men belong to me either.

* *: Thoughts

Capital letters: Shouting or loud noises

{ }: Author's own thoughts

_ _: Stressed words

[ ]: Chinese Language

: Psychic Projections

Chapter 5

A New Kind of School

Ranma and Marina made it to class just in time for the bell Ranma took his seat behind Akane and Marina took a seat beside Ranma. The teacher was talking about what they were going to do today. "Okay class." The old man said. "Your tests have been marked..." There was a collective groan from the entire class. "Now class the tests were not bad at all. In fact one of you had gotten 130% on the test." All of the students except for the ones who knew that they didn't do any good at all leaned forward awaiting the news.

"Ranma Saotome." The teacher called. Ranma opened her eyes and lifted her head from her desk.

"Whatta ya want?" Ranma said with a yawn. The Teacher held up the test paper at the front of the class. 

"Miss Saotome you pulled off one of the best test scores I've seen in my entire life. Would you please come to the front of the class?" The Teacher said still holding up the test. All the girls were jealous as Ranma walked to the front of the class. No one noticed her twitch when the teacher called her miss. "Ranma." The teacher began. "Your a gifted student."

*You have no idea how right you are geezer.* Ranma thought with a smile. The teacher continued.

"Ranma I want to boost you up a grade. All of the teachers agree, based on your test, that it would be the best idea for someone of your mental abilities." Ranma tried to protest but she was cut off by the wall suddenly bursting inward in an explosion of dust and concrete. Without warning a girl with purple hair jumped through the new hole in the wall with inhuman speed towards Ranma.

The girl leapt at Ranma with large monstrous claws extended towards her. She let off a feral snarl as she slashed at Ranma's throat intents of ripping it out on her mind. Ranma ducked the lethal blow and extended a hand sending the feral girl crashing through the window leading to the hall and through the wall into the Home Ec. room, using her telekinesis. She made sure that it looked like it was actually a physical blow so as not to raise suspicion among the students.

Ranma leapt after the girl. "RANMA!" Marina called out to the girl. Ranma looked back at her for a second and gave her a nod. 

"Don't worry Rina I'll be okay." He assured her. Marina was still worried and followed the other students into the hall to watch the fight. More to make sure Ranma is all right than to watch the fight.

Shampoo looked around the wrecked Home Ec. Room and shook her head to clear the ringing. All of the girls in the room were running around in circles trying to find a way out of the room to a safer place. Shampoo snarled her face was now slowly changing into a more feral, more animalistic, inhuman face. She jumped out of the hole in the wall towards the redhead girl just in time to meet her half way in the hall. 

The two girls clashed in a flurry of fists, feet. and claws. Shampoo was now getting a little hairier. hair sprouted from her back and she grew what appeared to be a tail. Shampoo swiped at Ranma's head again but the girl ducked and upper cutted the amazon. She stayed low as Shampoo's other claw followed through but it sliced air. Ranma jumped at the wall and jumped off of it sailing straight for Shampoo who dodged out of the way and slashed down onto Ranma's back The girls fell to the floor and felt the deep gashes on her back.

"Oww!" Ranma's hands where covered in her own blood. She looked up at the feral amazon and realized that she had underestimated the girl. Ranma rolled out of the way just as the feline girl lunged, digging her claws into the floor. Ranma saw now that there were a whole lot of student who had circled around to see the fight. Ranma didn't want to risk getting anyone else hurt and decided to lead the battle elsewhere.

Ranma Ran and jumped over the crowd noticing that Nabiki was taking bets on who would win. Ranma ran down the hall and into a room that she figured was the boiler room. Ranma rushed in being that there were no students in there. "Perfect!" She proclaimed and ran into the spacious room. Shampoo soon entered and stopped at the door way.

"Ranma! You I kill!" She yelled as she ran in to kill the red haired girl. Ranma put her hands up to stall her.

"WAIT!" Ranma started. "Don't I even get to know why your trying to kill me?" She asked the feline mutant amazon. Shampoo stopped but was ready to pounce at any moment. 

"You steal tribe secret techniques!" She explained. Short and simple. Ranma looked confused. 

"If I stole something from your tribe I'm pretty sure I would remember." Ranma reasoned. "Besides I was only at your village for about ten minutes." Shampoo was about to retort and then pounce with claws extended but she stopped herself in mid pounce.

"Girl make good point." She said but she shook her head to clear the thoughts of sympathy from it. "NO! You no trick Shampoo! I KILL!!" With that said the girl pounced Ranma rolled with her blow and brought his feet up into her gut sending her to the other side of the boiler room destroying the hot water heater. Shampoo hit her head off of the wall behind the heater as she crashed through it. Her head was bleeding and she was woozy. But she was not going to be stopped that easy.

Ranma seeing an opportunity rushed to attack the amazon. She jumped into the air landing a knockout blow on the girl. She fell to the floor and looked up through foggy eyes at Ranma, who in mid kick had gotten splashed by a stream of hot water from the heater and turned back into a male. "Airen." Was Shampoo's last word as she fell to the floor unconscious. 

Ranma had picked up her thoughts as she passed out. *Uh Oh! I'm gonna have a whole lotta problems with this chick.* He thought as he threw the rapidly changing girl over his shoulders. *Now where...Ah!* Ranma walked over to the tap on the far wall and splashed himself with cold water to turn back into his female form. After all he had registered at Furinkan as a girl.

Shampoo was back to normal by the time Ranma had turned back. Shampoo's feral form apparently came out when her adrenaline was at a high level. Ranma set the girl on the grass outside once she got out there. Marina came rushing out of the school to meet her. She was followed by most of their period one class as well. Ranma was still bleeding from her back and she finally passed out from blood loss.

Marina's voice was the last she heard before becoming unconscious.

***********

(Westchester.)

Professor Charles Xavier was currently going over a few documents that he had acquired not long ago. He was in his study sitting at his desk. He began to get bored reading over the secret government documents and sent out a mental message to Hank.

Hank? Began the professor.

*What is it Professor?* Asked Hank as he reconfigured some of the wires and other circuitry in the black bird.

I would like you to call up Ranma Saotome again and ask him if he would like to join our school again. I know he's already declined but if he doesn't agree again than offer him a tour of the school. Invite his entire family and have them come up. Beast nodded.

*Okay but if he's not going to join anyway what's the point of bringing him down here?* Beast asked just before getting zapped by the wires in the jet.

The professor continued holding in his laughter at hanks misfortune. Heh, I would like to meet this boy for myself. I'm also intrigued by the snakelike girl Marina. I'm completely clueless as to what her power is. Hank nodded in understanding.

*Aaaah. I see. And you want me to examine her.* Beast thought humourusly. *Well I'm always looking for new gunea pigs.* The professor chuckled.

Are you sure your not psychic as well friend? I could have sworn you just read my mind. Beast joined in the laughter.

*I'll contact him as soon as possible.* Beast thought as he slammed the panel on the side of the jet down and hopped off of the jet onto the metallic floor below.

Xavier leaned back in his chair and contemplated the mysterious girls powers. Charles looked forward to meeting Ranma as well. Maybe he'd be able to show the young martial artist a thing or two in the Astral Plane. *Heh!* He thought. *He wouldn't stand a chance!*

**************

Ranma awoke with a severe head ache. She tried to sit up but the pain in her back along with the hand holding her down kept her from accomplishing her goal and she gave in to gravity, flopping on the sick room's bed. She looked up into the large blue eyes that adorned the pretty brown haired girl with the ponytail who looked down at her. Ranma smiled and held the hand that had held her down. "Hey Rina." Ranma said as she closed her eyes lay back her head on the pillow. "Thanks for..." She stopped in mid sentence feeling the hand that she held in her own.

It felt...normal. Ranma looked up into the kind brown eyes of Kasumi Tendo. "HUH!?!" She said intelligently. I thought you were... Where did...how did you..." Kasumi giggled and put a finger to quiet Ranma.

"Shush Ranma. You need to rest. That other girl injured you pretty badly." She said in the kind pleasant voice that she always seemed to have. Ranma smiled then looked questioningly at the eldest Tendo daughter.

"How do you know my name?" Ranma asked. "Where'd Marina go?" 

"Kasumi smiled and leaned back in her chair beside the bed. "I know all about the curse." She began. "Your friend told me." Ranma looked confused. Why would Rina tell just anybody about his curse. Kasumi guessing what the redhead's next question would be answered before the girl could voice the question. "I came to bring you your lunch." She said simply.

Ranma just stared at her with an enthusiastic, "HUH!?!" Kasumi giggled again, a gesture that Ranma found extremely cute on the older girl.

"I actually figured most of it out for myself." Kasumi said. "I was coming to give my fiancee his lunch but apparently there was no boy by the name of Ranma Saotome here. Only a girl." Ranma nodded in understanding. "I heard that you had gotten into a fight and was hurt and I came to see what was the matter. You look an awful lot like the male Ranma and after Marina told me about Jusenkyo I had figured it all out."

"Oh soooo. Where's Marina now?" Ranma asked. A little worry in her voice. *I hope she's not hurt. The illusion probably had fallen away after I had passed out.* Kasumi's smile alleviated some of that worry.

"She had to go back to class." Kasumi said. Ranma sighed in relief. 

"Well I better get to class also." Ranma said as she sat up. Kasumi tried to stop her but Ranma pressed on. "Relax." He told her with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I'm a quick healer. I'll be fine." She then stood up grabbed her shirt and headed out the door to get back to class. Kasumi meant to call out to her but Ranma was gone before she could say anything.

"You forgot your lunch." She said. To the empty hall ahead of her. She picked up the bento that she had prepared for Ranma and left the room headed for home.

************

Ranma made it back to class just in time to get the days homework. He didn't know anybody in the class since most of the people he knew were a grade under her. She got out her books and wrote down the homework. The teacher was talking about the second world war. Ranma knew all about it so she didn't have to worry about the essay that was due in three days about Parl Harbor. Most of the kids in the class were either groaning or furiously writing down notes in their books.

Ranma chuckled at the sight. It was pretty much a sex thing. All the girls paid attention and all the guys didn't care and slept through class. A lot of the girls were talking about Ranma and she could hear loud and clear, but she didn't pay attention. She was worried about Marina and Shampoo. Shampoo's laws said that because He's an outsider and he defeated her that he would have to marry her. 

Ranma shivered at the thought. Those amazons had the most messed up laws. Ranma thought of the other two classes she had missed and wondered if she knew somebody that could give her the homework. Ranma searched around the class to see who there was. Her eyes passed over Kuno and she almost gagged. *Eeew! Poetry boy is definitely not my first choice. He'd probably ask me to date with him again.* 

Ranma looked across the room at Nabiki who was also looking directly back at her. Ranma shrugged her shoulders. *Oh well. I guess it could be worse.* She thought as she picked up her bag and headed for the middle Tendo daughter's general location.

Ranma was about half way there when Tatewaki stepped out in front of her effectively blocking her way. Ranma groaned and rolled her eyes. *Not again!* "What do you want Kuno?" She asked in an annoyed voice. The kendo champion of Furinkan high looked towards the ceiling for some odd reason and inevitably began speaking poetry.

"Fire haired goddess of the blade, thine features speak of the true beauty of love. I the great Kuno Tatewaki shall date with thee." Ranma frowned.

"I don't think so Kuno. You see...Your a moron. And I don't want anything to do with you now get out of my way!" She said as she tried to push past the idiotic boys way and towards Nabiki.

Kuno moved again to intercept her. "Aaah. My fire goddess. I see though has wishes to play hard to get. Very well than I shall play thine game of lo....URK!" Kuno's mouth was shut up with Ranma's foot in his face. 

"Shut up Kuno!" Ranma said as she pushed him out of the way and headed towards Nabiki. Kuno fell to the floor.

"That didn't hurt." He said before passing out into unconsciousness. 

Ranma made it over to Nabiki who was currently counting her winnings on the days earlier fight. Ranma tapped her on the shoulder. Nabiki turned her head towards the smaller girl with annoyance. "Yeeeeessss?" She asked the girl. Ranma was a little nervous with the predatory glare Nabiki was giving her. 

"Uh Hi Nabiki." Ranma said with a little wave. Nabiki turned her body around in her chair and gave Ranma a bored look.

"Ranma, do you have any business with me or is this just a social call? I don't have all day you know. I'm a business woman." Ranma rolled his eyes.

"Whatever." Almost all of the students in the class gasped. Most were thinking along the lines of *HOLY SHIT!!!! That girls DEAD! She just ignored the ice -queen_. Actually that was the thought that _was_ on everyones minds. Nobody, just _nobody_, talked to Nabiki Tendo so casually. Ranma continued, ignoring the class, "Your the only person in this class I really know and I need to know what my homework for the classes I missed is." Nabiki gave the girl her smirk #132.

"Funny I don't recall ever meeting you." She said. Ranma shrugged. 

"I know your sister." Nabiki continued her revery as if not having heard Ranma. 

"Hmmm. Ranma, Ranma, Ranma. Where have I heard that name before?" She was now circling the red headed girl as she rubbed her chin in thought. "I do know one Ranma Saotome, but you couldn't possibly be _him_, now could you?" She said. Ranma was getting annoyed. 

"Look Nabiki I just want to get my homework okay?" Nabiki stopped circling the Jusenkyo cursed individual and held out her hand palm up. Ranma looked at it in confusion. "What are you doing?" She asked. Nabiki looked shocked.

"Don't you know? Goodness I thought every one was told at the beginning of the year. If you want information from me the regular fee is 10,000 yen." The Ice Queen proclaimed. Ranma chuckled. 

Heh heh heh. You must be really dumb to think I'd pay you any money." She said. Everybody in the room's jaws dropped right through the floor. There wasn't a single student who wasn't shocked at the words Ranma had so bravely spoken. Nabiki's eye twitched and this action sent several boys and girls fleeing the room. Ranma continued not noticing. "I mean, if you don't want to give me tonight's homework I can just go ask someone else that won't charge me. Who'd be stupid enough to pay just so they could find out what their homework was." Ranma broke out into a full fledged laugh.

Nabiki's eye twitched again as she glared at the laughing girl. By now the room was empty save for Ranma, Nabiki, and the unconscious Kuno. "What did you say?" Asked Nabiki as she glared at the smaller red head girl. Ranma ignored her and left the room seeing as how since everyone else had she could to. Nabiki stared off after the girl with, what on her appeared to be, hatred. *That girl is going down!* She thought as she schemed what tortures she could deal the _smart mouthed Saotome_.

**************

Shampoo awoke with an enormous headache. She looked at her surroundings and noticed Cologne was sitting on the grass watching over her. "What happened child?" The old woman asked as The purple haired amazon opened her eyes and sat up. Shampoo shook her head.

"Don't know." She said trying to remember exactly what had happened. "Girl hit Shampoo and she go down. Then girl turn into man." Shampoo thought about that for a second and her eyes widened. "Shampoo think that redheaded girl is Shampoo's Airen!" She said in shocked wonder.

Cologne nodded her head. "This is good. The girl, or should I say boy, is very powerful. She would make a good addition to the tribe." Shampoo nodded but was a little reluctant to accept the fact that she was engaged to a girl that turns into a boy.

"What we do now great grandmother?" Shampoo asked. The old prune-like woman chuckled. 

"Our objectives have changed now child. Now your mission is to marry that _boy_ and bring him home where you'll get married." Shampoo nodded and headed back to the hotel she was staying at with Cologne. She had to go to a new hotel because the one she was previously in kicked her out.

*************

Marina was struggling. She hadn't been to school since she was fourteen years old. She'd missed two whole years of school and the new level of material was extremely hard for her. She had trouble understanding what the teacher was saying. He was currently talking about Neutrons and Electrons. Marina only understood a little of what the pudgy man said. Without Ranma there for support it seemed just that much harder.

She was looking out the window in which she sat beside. She was watching as a couple of the girls played baseball in the large Furinkan yard. She smiled envious of their normal looks and carefree lives. Just then her vision was blocked by a set of large pretty blue eyes and red hair. 

"Hi." Said the upside down Ranma as she hung from the rafters above the classroom. Marina was startled by the sudden appearance of Ranma and jumped a little.

"Ranma!" She whispered. "What are you doing here?" She asked as the boy turned girl swung back and forth lightly. Ranma answered just as quiet as Marina had been but a little less serious.

"It's a really nice day out. Besides I wanted to check up on you and see how you were doing." She said. Marina smiled a little relieved that her friend was okay.

"How's your back?" She asked in genuine concern. Ranma shrugged.

"It's okay." Ranma grabbed Marina's hand and tried to pull her out of the window. "Come on let's go get something to eat. I missed lunch." Marina. Took her hand back forcefully, knocking Ranma off balance and forcing her to flip around and land on the window sill. 

"Ranma we can't skip school it's my first day! I'll get in trouble." 

Ranma shrugged again. So I'll help you study when we get home lets go." With that Ranma grabbed the snake like mutant girl again and pulled her out the window she cradled the girl and jumped down to the ground below. She set Marina down and began walking towards the school gates. "Where ya wanna go?" the redhead asked. Marina shrugged her shoulders, mimicking Ranma's earlier actions. 

"I don't know. Where do you want to go?" Ranma shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know. Where do you want to go?" 

"I don't know where do you want to go?"

"I don't know where do you want to go?" Marina broke out into giggles. And Ranma into a full out laugh. The two continued to laugh for a few minutes then Ranma pointed out a place across the street. "Why don't we go have some all you can eat?" Ranma asked.

Marina nodded. "Okay. Do you have enough money?" Ranma shrugged.

"I don't know do you have enough money?" She asked with a smile plastered on her face. Marina shook her head.

"I don't know do you... Hey now don't start that again!" Ranma broke out into laughter again and the two crossed the street headed for Yin's all you can eat buffet.

************

Ranma patted her belly and gave a contented sigh as she walked towards home beside Marina. "Aaaah. That hit the spot!" She said Marina giggled.

"Well I can't say that the owner of the restaurant would be saying the same. You nearly ate him out of buiisiness." Ranma shrugged and scratched the back of her head. 

"What can I say? I was hungry. That fight took a lot more out of me than I thought." Marina smiled and continued walking home in silence. Ranma was getting a little bored by all that silence and jumped up on the fence and began walking along it. "So Rina. Why'd you get kicked out of your house?" Ranma asked.

Marina looked downcast. "I was an ugly mutant and they threw me out." She said. "There's not much more to say." Ranma looked down at her with a yeah right kind of smirk. 

"Come on there has to be more of a story to your origin than that." Ranma said. Marina didn't answer her right away. Finally she sighed and continued her story.

"When I was fourteen, I was just starting to notice the boys at my school. This one boy asked me out one day and we went to the movies. I was really nervous cause I had never been on a date before, and I was itching all over. I hadn't payed attention to the movie at all. We went back to my place and I invited him in we went to my room and we talked for a bit and then...then he kissed me." Marina looked up to see what Ranma's reaction would be. The girl on the fence just looked down at her attentively. 

"Go on." Onna-Ranma urged as she waved her hands gesturing for the snake-girl to continue. She did.

"Well when he kissed me I was really excited and It was my first kiss and then he backed away. I moved in to kiss him again not wanting it too end but he backed up again and he was staring at me weird. I looked down at my hands and there was these scales growing out of my skin. I screamed and began to cry." A tear welled up in Marina's eye and she wiped it away, but more tears came and she just forgot about them and kept telling her story. 

"My Mom and Dad came down to my room and saw me. Masakazu, my date, ran away. My parents kicked me out the next morning saying that they didn't want a freak as a daughter." Marina began to openly cry and Ranma jumped down from the fence and put her arms around the girl in an attempt to comfort her. 

They sat on the ground together and Marina buried her face in Ranma's chest. "Shhh. It's okay Rina. They didn't know what they were doing. They probably were scared. It's not your fault." Marina pounded on the redheads back weakly and Ranma rocked the girl back and forth. Many passers by didn't pay attention to the scene. Some did but decided it was none of their business.

**************

Ranma and marina arrived home around supper time. "Taidama!" They called out simultaneously as they entered. Nodoka just hung up the phone as the two teens came in. 

"Oh Ranma." she said. Ranma threw her book bag over in the corner of the living room. Marina set hers down on the table.

Nodoka picked up a note from in front of the phone and held it out to her son turned daughter. "Here, Mr McCoy from the Xavier institute for the gifted called and invited us all up for a tour of the school." Ranma smiled as she shoved the not in her pocket.

"Cool!" She exclaimed. "When do we leave?" She asked. Nodoka looked at her watch.

"Uhm Hank said that they would send a jet to come and pick us up." Ranma nodded in understanding. 

"Oh the black bird. It should be here in about half an hour." She said all knowingly. Nodoka and Marina looked puzzled. Marina who had walked up behind Ranma as she was talking with her mother voiced the question that was on both women's minds.

"How do you know when it'll arrive?" she asked. Ranma gave her a cocky smile and pointed to his noggin.

"I'm psychic. When Hank came down with the X-Men the only thing he could think about was the blackbird and all the specs. He's a big geek." Ranma said as a matter of fact.

Marina giggled. She calmed down almost as soon as she started. She looked over to the Elder Saotome woman and asked. "Would you like help with dinner Saotome-san?" 

Nodoka nodded "Of course dear." Nodoka looked at her for a second and then got a puzzled look on her face. "Who are you?" Marina nearly face faulted. Ranma laughed. 

"HA, HA, HA! Man you should have seen yourself Rina! That was so funny!" Ranma calmed herself down and looked to her mother. "I forgot to tell you this morning Mom. That's Marina. I can put up an illusion around her that ensures that she looks like a normal girl. Just so she can go to school, and fit in, and stuff." Nodoka nodded.

"Oh Okay. Go wash up for dinner we'll just be making something simple." Ranma's mother said as she shooed the girl up the stairs nearby. Ranma followed her orders and went to the bathroom to get washed up. Marina and the Saotome matriarch headed off o the kitchen. Ranma dropped the illusion on Marina feeling that she didn't need it while she was at home.

****************

At the Tendo household, Nabiki sat in her room clicking on her computer. *Okay _miss_ Saotome. I'll show you just what happens when somebody mocks the Ice Queen.* Nabiki thought as she hacked into the top secret community hospital files. She was currently looking up a government list that held the names and records of all people who existed.

Nabiki stopped at the list of people living in the Juuban district of japan and looked up Ranma Saotome. The computer brought up a file of the Black haired boy with the long braided pigtail that their family had met the other night. *Hello Ranma Saotome. Or at least the _male_ Ranma Saotome.* Nabiki smirked and scanned through all the people with the names Ranma and Saotome.

*Let's see, Jiro Saotome, Mariko Saotome, Genma Saotome, Kensuke Saotome, kirin Saotome, Ryouga Saotome, Ranma Saotome Male... hmmmm.* Nabiki scanned through the list one last time and then smirked evilly. *Oh there doesn't seem to be a Ranma Saotome Female in existence at all. Hmph What a shame.* Nabiki printed off a copy of Ranma's document and the list of Saotome names Registered.

She shut her computer off picked up the phone beside her desk and dialed a number. "Hello?...yes this is Nabiki Tendo....No I'm not after your money....I need a favor...I need you to follow Ranma Saotome anywhere he goes....yes there is a male Ranma....Yes I want you to follow the female one too.... Take as much pictures as you can...alright...Bye." Nabiki hung up the phone and smirked. *Oh Ranma. You've messed with the wrong Tendo.* Nabiki started to laugh maniacally.

The mercenary girls moment of evil was cut off by the melodic voice that came downstairs from Kasumi. "Nabiki! Dinner's ready!" Nabiki's stomach growled at the words.

"Oooh! Sukiyaki night!" She ran downstairs for supper thoughts of sukiyaki and revenge running through her mind.

************

later at the Saotome house while marina, Ranma, and Nodoka sat having dinner there was a knock at the front door. Marina got up from her seat and went to answer it. "That's probably McCoy-san right now." She opened the door and peered out. "McCoy-san?" She asked. Doctor Henry Hank McCoy waved to the teenage girl.

"Good evening Marina. Please just call me Hank. There's no need for formalities between friends." Marina blushed at her mistake and the realization that she had more than Ranma as a friend.

"I'm sorry Mc, uhm, Hank." She said. Dr. McCoy waved it off. 

"It's all right." He said. He peered into the house at the table where Ranma and Nodoka were busy clearing the dishes. "Are you all ready?" He asked. Marina blushed and moved away.

"Um, I'm sorry we're running a little late would you like to come in Hank?" Hank mock bowed to the teenage mutant and motioned for her to enter first.

"After you milady." He said in a fake hero voice. Marina smiled as she entered the house.

"Thank you Hank." With that she entered the house with Henry following behind. Ranma was just coming out of the kitchen after putting the dishes all in the dishwasher. Nodoka was wiping off the table with a dish rag.

"Hey Hank." Ranma said as he waved to the larger man. "How's things down in New York?" Hank looked at the boy in a joking manner. 

"Do you really have to ask psychic boy?" He said. Ranma laughed.

"HA! I'm not reading peoples minds twenty four seven Hank! I do have a _little_ bit of respect for peoples privacy. Sides, just making conversation." It was Hanks turn to laugh now.

"Every things fine. Though the government is boosting the Sentinel program to even greater lengths. The program is becoming a world wide organization. Now countries other than the US are using the sentinels to exterminate mutants. Especially with Magneto taking all these terrorist actions against humanity." 

Ranma nodded his head. "Yes. If we're not carful Japan could very well take to the Sentinel program. Did you know they're in negotiations debating whether or not they are a threat?" Hank looked surprised. 

"Japan too?" Ranma nodded. 

"Yeah I was thinking maybe I could make my own uniforms to block the sentinels trackers. The Japanese government is seriously considering it and I don't want tot take any chances." 

Hank agreed. "Yes. A very smart choice." He said. He then clapped together his oversized hands seeing that everyone was present. "Well! Are you all ready to go?" Ranma Marina and Nodoka nodded and then followed the mutant doctor out of the house and towards the large black jet in the empty lot next door.

************

Magneto sat in a dark room illuminated only by the large window on the far wall. The sun was setting in the distance and the elderly yet fit mutant leader of the brotherhood watched as it went down. "I see." He said as he folded his hands menacingly in front of himself. "So our operative has made contact with the boy. What is her status?" Toads English accented voice came from the other end. 

"She's currently working on it. She been having a little trouble, but sais that some events have occurred over there that she's sure will affect the plans in a positive way." The frog like mutant said.

"Good!" said Magneto. Contact the girl and tell her to speed the pace up some. I need that boy and I don't have forever." The frog boy on the other end nodded.

"Righto. It'll be done in a bit." With that the connection was terminated. Magneto leaned back in his large black throne and smiled. 

"I have you Charles. This boy will join me no matter what you think, or do." With that magneto stood up and exited the room.

*************

Somewhere in Australia, on a large almost 90 degree vertical mountain. A young teenager stood atop of the mountain and looked around at his suroundings. "This doesn't look like Serbia." The boy said to himself. He looked at the map he held. It was currently upside down. The boy with the bandana got flustered and annoyed. 

Ryoga threw away the map and then yelled to the heavens as loud as he possibly could. "WHERE ON EARTH AM I NOOOOOOOWWWW!!!!!!!!?????!!!!!" 

**************

{That's Chapter five hope you enjoyed it. That "I don't know what do you want to do?" part was dedicated to my friend Brian. The good old days. Any way. What all does Prof X really want from Ranma? What's Marina's powers? What are Kasumi's powers? are the other Tendo girls Mutants as well? Who's the new bad guy? Will Ryoga ever find what he's looking for? What's Ryoga looking for? Will all these questions be answered in chapter six? Am I losing my mind? Possibly all this in the next chapter entitled. "Hmmm where's my shoe?" the epic tale of Ranma's journey to find a shoe. Er just kidding. Chap six wi;; be a while. I'm starting Dragon's Bond and after I get the first two chapters to that I'm gonna be working on Saotome Blade a bit. Sorry but Astral Minds will be put off for a while. Much thanks to Billy Chen who drew an excellent picture of Ranma from the Astrl Minds story. I hope more people send me some Fan Art. (Wink, wink, nudge, nudge) Well that's all from me.

Ja ne!

Morden Night

http://josh_vh.tripod.com/mordensranmapage/


	6. Welcome to Xaviers

Check out the NEW Hotbot Tell me when this page is updated 

  
  


Astral Minds   
  


Disclaimer: Ranma ½ and all related characters do not belong to me. None of the X-Men belong to me either.   
  


* *: Thoughts   
  


Capital letters: Shouting or loud noises   
  


{ }: Author's own thoughts   
  


_ _: Stressed words   
  


[ ]: Chinese Language   
  


: Psychic Projections   
  


Chapter 6   
  


Welcome to Xaviers   
  


Ranma's mind scan of New York showed an extremely large population of mutants. Most of those mutants have gone into hiding. Ranma noticed that there was a large population of them underground. He tried not too get too caught up in the problems of New York and he decided to occupy his mind by listening to Hank. The larger mutant doctor was currently going on about the additions that they have made to the school and other such matters.   
  


Ranma leaned against the seat he was strapped to and listened to him drone on about all this technical stuff. His mother seemed to be enjoying having somebody, _anybody_, to talk to. Trying to sleep wouldn't help at all as Ranma couldn't help but think about all of the helpless and unfortunate beings who were cast out from society. Not to mention all of his own personal problems like the fiancee business, The Brotherhood, and that Shampoo girl. Ranma knew that he would see her again. she was very persistent and those amazon laws he read from her mind were very strict. Her delusions of him being her husband for some reason kind of frightened him.   
  


The pigtailed telepathic was getting impatient. Hank had decided to take the scenic route to show off the jet. Ranma agreed but didn't realize that the man would be taking them through all of Asia. Now he was really bored as all through the Chinese roller coaster ride from hell he had been blabbing on about boring stuff. He'd had just about enough.   
  


"Hank can we _please_ just get to the school already? We've been riding this thing for over an hour and a half." Nodoka nodded in agreement with Ranma.   
  


"Yes Ranma is right. It is getting awfully late and my husband will be worried." Ranma big-sweated.   
  


"Uh Mom? Do you really think _he_, of all people, would be worried?"   
  


***************   
  


Saotome home...   
  


Genma Saotome walked through the front door of the house and called out, "TAIDAMA!" He walked into the dining room catching the faint odour of dinner but no one was there. "NO-CHAN!?" He called out as he poked his head into the kitchen. He ran up the stairs and poked his head into Ranma's room. "RANMA!?" He walked across the hall and opened the door to Marina's room. "FREAKISH MUTANT GIRL!?" He called out. Genma, seeing that he was the only one home, decided to make the best of his time.   
  


He went to the cellar and raided the alcohol cabinet.   
  


**************   
  


Westchester New York, The Xavier school for gifted youngsters...   
  


Professor Charles Xavier watched as the Black bird landed in the underground landing bay. After it landed the doors that held the courtyard above them closed concealing it from prying eyes, making it look like a grassy field with a basketball court and a couple of trees. Charles smiled at the upcoming meeting with Ranma Saotome he couldn't wait to give the boy a mental arm wrestling match. He had been trying to get into the boys head ever since he discovered him but couldn't even get a glimpse. If Ranma was able to block Charles Xavier of all people than he _had_ to be powerful With a smile on his face the professor wheeled himself back into the school awaiting the boy's arrival.   
  


Ranma exited the blackbird and walked towards the school behind Hank who led the way. Once they entered Ranma could not sense anybody except for those in his immediate vicinity. It was like the whole place had a mental barrier around it. He could however sense people via Chi signatures. Ranma liked the Mansion it was large and very neat and tidy. He could sense that it was more than it appeared though. There was at least four stories underground, four _large_ stories.   
  


A bald man in a wheelchair turned the corner and headed directly towards Hank and his companions. Nodoka bowed in greetings Ranma and Marina followed suite not wanting to be rude. Ranma noticed just now that Marina had hardly said a word at all after boarding the large black jet she was quiet usually but not _this_ quiet.   
  


Professor Charles Xavier chuckled and raised his hands in a warding gesture. "Please, there is no need for formalities here. We're all friends." The three guests from Japan stood up straight. Nodoka, ever the curious one started with questions as soon as possible.   
  


"Are you Mr. Xavier?"   
  


Charles nodded. "That I am Mrs. Saotome."   
  


Nodoka blushed. "Please call me Nodoka."   
  


Professor nodded and took the woman's hand in his own. "Then you can call me Charles." He replied. With that he kissed the top of Nodoka's hand lightly she took her hand back and covered her blushing cheeks. Charles smiled. *I've still got it.* He thought with pride.   
  


Ranma watched the scene between his mother and the Professor with a little vexation. She was a married woman. If his father saw this little scene between the two he would be infuriated. After thinking about it for a while though he calmed down a little when he thought about it. She hadn't seen her husband or son for ten years who knows who she could have had an affair with. After such a long time away from family she probably thought of herself as single. He decided to change the subject.   
  


"So Charles, What is it you do here at the school? Do you teach mutants how to defend themselves? Do you teach them martial arts?" Ranma asked. Professor turned towards the boy and smiled.   
  


"I'm hardly equipped for teaching martial arts." Charles said as he indicated the wheelchair that he sat upon. "Follow me though and I'll show you everything." The professor then turned around in his wheelchair and began rolling down the hallway everyone followed him and the tour began.   
  


**************   
  


Sweat poured down his face as the youth glared at the opponent that stood before him. His pigtail blew to the side as a gush of wind flew by. Without warning the giant machine lunged forward with a speed that seemed impossible for it's size. Ranma jumped back and a pinkish golden aura erupted around his body as he floated in hid air. A sword of pure energy materialized in his hands and he rushed towards the mechanical monstrosity that was a mere three feet away now. A fist came down on Ranma's back, as he ducked under one blow, and he fell to the ground in a heap, his aura faded away into his body and he lay still.   
  


The robot saw this as a golden opportunity and lifted both arms above it's head for the killing blow. Golden yellow energy erupted from Ranma's cupped hands and slammed into the Robot's chest, sending it across the room to impact with the metallic wall. Ranma got to his knees and gasped for breath. His clothes were torn to shreds, his shirt was nearly non-existent and bruises adorned his body in almost every area imaginable. Several gashes in his chest were dripping with blood but were already healing.   
  


Ranma raised his hand into the air and gave a thumbs up. "I WON!" He called out to nowhere in particular. The room was full of robotic bodies and some even had organic parts to them. Most couldn't be identified at all, though it was obvious that Ranma had been fighting for quite a while.   
  


The bodies on the ground faded away and then the room followed to show a very plain room with smooth metal surfaces for the floor, walls, and ceiling. On one side there was a glassed room where several people stood watching the fight. "Had enough Ranma?" came a distorted voice from all around the giant room.   
  


In a much smaller room Nodoka, Marina, Professor Xavier, and the rest of the x-men sat watching Ranma in awe. "That was the most amazing thing I've ever seen." Noted Marina as her eyes stayed glued to a screen that showed a shot of Ranma's beaten form standing triumphantly in the middle of the room.   
  


Nodoka got a tear in her eye. "My son's so manly!" She said with pride. Everyone broke out of their stunned silence to look at Nodoka strangely for a second.   
  


"Professor are you sure having this boy around the school is safe? No body has ever gotten past level 20 in the danger room, this kid just did 50. No one should be that powerful Man or mutant. Power goes to their head." Said Cyclops.   
  


Charles just smiled as he watched the screen. He then flicked a switch on the console in front of him and spoke into a nearby microphone. "Would you like to raise the level a bit higher mister Saotome?" he asked almost playfully.   
  


Inside the Danger room. Ranma shook his head. "Naw! Raise it five levels!" He said with a confidant smile.   
  


The professor moved his hand to flip a switch that would raise it to Ranma's desired level but Hanks hand moved to stop him. "Professor you _can't_ be serious about this! He was nearly beaten by the last level!"   
  


Charles gently moved Hanks hand aside and flicked a couple switches. "Trust me friend. He'll be fine." Hank was reluctant but he could see nothing but sincerity in the man's eyes and he backed down.   
  


"All right."   
  


*************   
  


Ranma stood in the center of the danger room waiting for Xavier to start up the next level. He got into a ready stance once he noticed the room changing into a different setting. The walls shifted and changed color. He was in a rainforest now, the danger room adjusted the temperature so that it was more realistic.   
  


The pigtailed martial artist could swear that he was actually in the middle of a rainforest. The air was hot and musky, there was next to no wind at all and tall trees and other exotic plant life surrounded him. Without warning something jumped out at him from the bushes on his right he dodged the impossibly fast object but then was forced to the ground by another similar object from the other side. He rolled with the blow though and pushed the thing off of himself with his feet. He tried to stand up but more came. A Chi blast erupted from his palms and blasted a large hole in the forest.   
  


Some of the things that were attacking him were caught by the blast and Ranma could now get a good look at them. They were small creatures about two feet tall and six feet long, their skin was metallic like a living metal, cheetah striped fur sprouted out of their backs in swirling patterns. Ranma stood ready for the creatures to attack again. They didn't disappoint him, but not before turning completely invisible.   
  


"What the..." Ranma said before he was rammed from every side. He felt claws dig into his flesh and he was thrown down to the ground. That was when the program ended.   
  


"You died Ranma." Came the Professors voice from the hidden speakers. Ranma stood up and dusted himself off.   
  


"I coulda handled it. If you just gave me another minute..."   
  


"In another minute you would have been dead." Came the professor's voice again. "Those creatures were made of pure adamantium, they turn completely invisible and move faster than any creature in existence. I'm surprised you lasted as long as you did."   
  


Ranma shrugged. "Hey, Chi comes in handy sometimes." The doors opened and Marina rushed out to meet him along with Bobby drake and his mother. The others came out after them at a less frantic pace.   
  


"That was so cool Ranma!" Said Marina excitedly. "Can you teach me to do that?" Ranma shrugged his shoulders.   
  


"Yeah I guess I could. It might take a while before your as good as I am but if I had a danger room like this at the dojo you could learn in next to no time."   
  


Beast walked up to Ranma and slapped him on the back. Ranma winced and tears welled up in his eyes he calmed down though cause he knew that Hank meant well. "That was quite a spectacular performance there Ranma I have never seen anyone move as fast as you just did."   
  


"Yes my son is quite manly." Added Nodoka. Everyone looked at her confusedly. Ranma looked towards Xavier who just shrugged in reply. Ranma had searched his mothers mind many times to find out what she meant by that but she was so one minded that when she was thinking about this manliness thing, it was all she thought about.   
  


Beast patted the pigtailed martial artist on the back again who let out a whimper of pain as he did so. "Well shall we get on with the tour then?" He asked. Ranma nodded in agreement.   
  


"Yeah sure no problem, how about we visit the infirmary next?" Beast laughed out loud and slapped him on the back twice hard before walking towards the door again. Ranma nearly fainted from pain. Marina put an arm around Ranma's shoulder and let him lean against her as they walked after the man.   
  


*************   
  


Ranma felt like a million bucks(american), the infirmary was a gift from god. After fifty levels of the danger room he really deserved the rest. That Danger room was a martial artists dream come true. All this technology was amazing the illusions hit so hard and felt so real that it was easy to lose yourself in the program and think it was real.   
  


"Well Ranma is it all right if we continue the tour without you? There is a lot more to see." Asked Hank who was the official tour guide of the Xavier school for gifted youngsters. Ranma shook his head and began to get up.   
  


"Naw that's okay I wanna know what Marina's powers are."   
  


"How did you...?" Asked hank Ranma smirked and pointed to the side of his head.   
  


"Mind reader, remember?"   
  


"What's going on? What do mean my powers?" Asked Marina as she looked back and forth between the two. Hank chuckled.   
  


"Well I guess there's no beating around the bush now. We were going to visit the science labs next and I was curious as to what your power was, other than the slightly different appearance. I was gonna ask if I could examine you."   
  


Marina was blushing. You could hardly tell because of the scales that covered her entire body but Hanks words were quite embarrassing to her. "Um I guess you could. I would like to know what my powers are too." Marina said sheepishly as she covered her burning cheeks with her hands.   
  


Beast blushed. Everyone in the room was staring at the two with either smirks on their faces, save Ororo Monroe, Aka: Storm, who was frowning and glaring daggers into Hanks back. Hank waved his arms to the side motioning for Marina, Ranma, and his mother towards the door while giving Storm a nervous glance.   
  


**************   
  


Marina was embarrassed beyond all that she had ever imagined. She was currently lying on a metal table with only a pair of panties. Hank was standing beside the table and had just pried a scale from her forearm. He put it on a small Petrie dish and set it aside. He then began putting a bunch of sensory pads all over certain parts of her body. Marina blushed furiously as he did so. Beast then left her and walked over to a small station with a lot of medical equipment strewn about. Hank put the scale under a microscope and began to examine it just after flicking a few switches on a console.   
  


"Fascinating!" He exclaimed as he looked the small specimen over. Marina felt that she was being ignored and decided to talk with the young scientist to alleviate some of her embarrassment.   
  


"Beast. Could I put my clothes back on?" She asked. Beast shook his head.   
  


"Not at the Moment Kitata-san. You have to let the scanners do their work then I can check the finished results. After that I should be able to determine what kind of powers you might have based on blood samples and the various tests I have put you through." Marina blushed as she thought back on some of the tests Beast had made her do. Some were a lot...less comfortable than the current one that was underway.   
  


"Okay." She said reluctantly."   
  


A small light flashed and a beep was heard. Beast then walked towards the next room while taking off his medical suit. He looked back to the snake skinned girl and nodded. "You can get dressed now Marina. I'll just be in the next room going over these results." Marina nodded and quickly rushed to get her clothing from the nearby locker.   
  


*********   
  


Ranma his mother and the rest of the X-Men watched Hanks experiments on Marina through a screen in the next room. Ranma was feeling a little red at the moment. He didn't like the way they were just standing around watching, it felt wrong. Ranma tried not to look but his curiosity always got the better of him.   
  


Professor Xavier was holding his chin in thought as he watched Beast finalize the tests. "I think Hank may have already uncovered the mystery as to our young friends powers."   
  


Ranma looked down at the Professor and frowned. "Yeah sure but she shouldn't have to take off all her clothes! With all this technology at your hands, why don't you build something that can take information that doesn't include people taking off their clothes?" Charles was about to answer but then got a thoughtful look on his face.   
  


"I've never thought about that." He admitted. "I think I'll have Hank look into it." Ranma nodded and looked towards the door where Marina and Beast walked in seconds after.   
  


Marina blushed as she realized that they were watching the whole thing. "I thought you were going to continue the tour without us until we were done." Ranma blushed and put his hand behind his head nervously.   
  


"Heh, Heh! We decided to wait up for you." Ranma shuddered as he "accidentally" looked into Marina's mind and saw the many interesting ways she was planning to hurt him and the rest of the people in the room. Ranma shrunk back into the corner as Marina stalked angrily towards him with a look of death in her eyes.   
  


"You were ogling me RANMA!!" She said in an icy tone. Beast, seeing the rather unpleasant predicament his young guest was in, cleared his throat, catching everyone's attention.   
  


"Well would you all like to know what I think, concerning Miss Kitata's powers?" He asked. Marina looked back at Ranma and gave him one last glare then she ignored him and followed close behind Henry out of the room.   
  


"Lead the way Hank!" She said with a little irritation.   
  


Ranma looked towards the other occupants of the room. All of them had questioning gazes locked on Ranma. Ranma frowned. "WHAT!? I wasn't the _only_ one watching!"   
  


"I think that went quite well." Commented the Professor, as he wheeled himself out of the room towards Hanks personal lab.   
  


*************   
  


"So as you can see here in this X-Ray, her muscles are much different than the average person, the way these muscles are formed she should be able to extract her scales giving her a perfectly normal appearance."   
  


Ranma nodded as he listened to Hank explain the mechanics of Marina's powers. "So since she's able to pull them in she should also be able to push them out right Hank?" Ranma asked.   
  


"Correct. Her scales replace themselves nearly as soon as they are removed, and dissolve about ten minutes after they are removed. My hypothesis is that she is able to use these scales as a projectile."   
  


"So her scales are her offensive as well as her defensive." Finished Ranma.   
  


Hank nodded and continued. "Yes I analyzed and tested her scales and between the span of about an hour they have hardened quite a lot."   
  


"So your saying..."   
  


Hank nodded again. "Yes! Her scales will have hardened to the near invulnerability of adamantium by the time she is twenty three." Marina, Nodoka, and the rest of the X-Men listened to Ranma and Beast list off all of the things Marina's powers were capable of doing with unhidden awe.   
  


"I can do all _that_!?" Marina mused to herself. Ranma held his chin thoughtfully and nodded his head.   
  


That explains how you could have survived the beating by that gang. He said mentally to her.   
  


*Huh!* She thought a little stunned by the intruding voice in her head. *R-Ranma?* She asked in her mind.   
  


Remember when I first found you Marina? You were being beaten on by all those mutant hating punks. I thought I was too late because they had given you quite a beating before I got there. It was those scales that cover your entire body that saved your life.   
  


Marina thought back to that dreadful event that brought Her and Ranma together. The punks were using heavy blunt objects that would have broken several bones in an ordinary humans body with only a few solid blows. She had come out of a severe beating with only a few bruises and a forced nap.   
  


*Your right! If it wasn't for my scales...* A tear ran down Marina's scaly cheek as she thought about what would have happened if she hadn't had her power. Ranma wiped the tear from her face and gave her a smile that melted her inside and practically forced her to smile back.   
  


"I'm going to talk with the Professor alone for a bit Marina. I'll be a while." Marina grabbed Ranma in a bone crushing hug and then let him go Neither of them spoke after that and a deathly silence spread across the room.   
  


"Professor?" Ranma asked Charles as he headed to wards the door. Charles picked up the mental message from Ranma concerning the topic of what it was he wanted, nodded, and followed the boy out. Xavier then began leading Ranma towards his office.   
  


"Wasn't she just ready to kill that guy or something?" Asked bobby to Colossus. Who was standing next to the boy with an equally confused expression.   
  


"She's a woman Bobby, don't try to understand her. Just let it be."   
  


************   
  


"What is it that you wanted to talk about Ranma?" Professor Xavier asked the young pigtailed martial artist who was currently sitting on the opposite side of a large wooden desk.   
  


"Professor... I want to open my own school in Japan. A lot like yours, for mutants." Ranma said frankly. Professor Xavier nodded and smiled. He was hoping Ranma would join his school but this current turn of events was far better than Charles could have ever hoped.   
  


"I'm glad you do Ranma. I really am. There are far to few places where mutants can feel safe like my school. I think that opening a school there is just what Japan needed, especially with the Japanese government considering starting up the sentinel program." Charles said. "I'd be glad to help in any way I can I will even fully fund your cause."   
  


Ranma smiled wide. "Really!? You'll even set up my own danger room for training?!" Ranma asked excitedly. Charles nodded.   
  


"I thought you could read minds Ranma. Why don't you go inside my head and see if I'm serious or not?"   
  


Ranma smirked. "I've already tried. Your mental abilities are really vast and it's difficult to tell. I also noticed that you've had severe trouble finding your way around my own mental barrier." Ranma noted.   
  


Charles smiled darkly. "Would you care to test your mental abilities against mine Young Saotome?" Asked the professor with a hint of menace and promise of pain.   
  


Ranma nodded as he glared at the bald man with just as much menace in his eyes. "You practically read my mind."   
  


************   
  


"Where's Ranma?" Asked Marina as she sat at the dining room table of the X-Mansion. Currently Beast, Storm, Nodoka, and Bobby were all in there getting something to eat while they waited for the young martial artist.   
  


Beast shrugged his shoulders and stuffed a piece of toast with jam on it in his mouth. "He's with the professor. He said he'd back So I wouldn't worry." Storm sat beside Beast and leaned up against him as she sipped on a juice box.   
  


"I say forget about him. He's cute but he's so serious about fighting and such it's creepy." She said.   
  


Bobby tapped Marina on the shoulder and the snake-skinned girl looked over at the fourteen year old mutant. "Are you dating that Ranma guy?" He asked. Marina blushed and denied it.   
  


"Were just friends."   
  


Looks just a little more than just friends to me." Noted bobby. Marina began twiddling her thumbs and stared at them.   
  


"I just wish he'd hurry up with Xavier. I'm tired and want to go home."   
  


**********   
  


Ranma looked around at the empty void that surrounded him with awe. It wasn't really empty it was more like he was floating in outer space. Stars shone in the distance and he could clearly see a galaxy as well.   
  


"Wow!" Ranma said in wonder as he floated around using pure mental energy to do so. His voice sounded as if he was in a long hallway of sorts as it echoed in the blackness. He looked down at his hands to see that they where black with white outlines. He could see right through himself.   
  


"This is the Astral Plane Ranma Saotome." Said another echoing voice.   
  


"Huh?!" Ranma said as he spun around int the blackness to lay eyes on Professor Xavier. He looked just like Ranma did, nothing but a white outline of himself. "What's the Astral Plane?" Ranma asked. "It feels weird being here."   
  


Charles chuckled as he recalled his first trip to the Astral Plane. "You and I are in a whole different Plane of existence now Ranma. The astral plane is a realm made up of pure mental energy. Here we can do almost anything we wish to; all it takes is a thought."   
  


Ranma held out a hand and imagined it forming into a Japanese katana. To his astonishment it formed a blade immediately. "Wow! Ranma swished it around a bit to get the feel of it then he morphed it back to a hand. "That's amazing!"   
  


"So, would you like to have that Mental Spar now Ranma?" Asked Xavier as he got into a complicated Kung fu stance.   
  


"You know Martial arts?" Ranma asked. The Professor shook his head.   
  


"No. But I can access abilities of others while on the Astral Plane. Remember the Astral Plane is made up of 100% Mental energy. We can do anything." Ranma got into an anything goes stance.   
  


"Bring it on old man."   
  


Ranma rushed ahead int the plane and tried a punch and kick combo on Xavier's mid-section. Charles dodged the first couple punches but the kick connected. Or so Ranma thought. The kick went through Xavier but stopped getting stuck in his chest. The professor then morphed his body so that he was holding onto Ranma's leg. He then threw the teen into an invisible barrier that erected itself from thin air. Ranma kneeled on the ground and glared at the bald mutant telepath that stood mockingly a few feet away.   
  


"How did you do that?" Ranma asked. "That's not possible!"   
  


Charles smiled and then floated back about twenty feet. "I've already said Ranma. In this plane of existence it's not the body that will win your battles it's the mind. If you rely to much on your skill reflexes and strength here than you will lose without a doubt."   
  


Ranma stood up and leveled a gaze with the man. "Can you get hurt in this place?" He asked.   
  


Charles nodded. "If one were to die here than they would die in the physical plane as well."   
  


Ranma nodded and then rushed forward with a battle cry intent on taking the bald man out fast and hard. He feinted a punch but then leg swept the man who fell down and kept falling until he was far below Ranma. Ranma looked down and imagined himself doing the same thing but as soon as he was half way down the professor launched a flurry of punches at him, the only thing that was strange was that he had grown to about twice his normal sized, grown four more sets of arms and was punching at amaguriken speed.   
  


Ranma flew into the void and then stopped himself in mid-flight. Ranma then thought hard and made his own form grow to about three time the normal height. But as he was about to rush the professor again he was nowhere to be seen. Just then a blur of white shot forward from the distance and knocked Ranma back with the force of a mac truck. It circled around Ranma and then struck him in the side again. Ranma called forth some chi energy and shot it towards the blur just as it was making a third pass.   
  


The chi knocked the target back and it stopped revealing that it was the professor. "Very good Ranma. Your reflexes are excellent." Charles then disappeared completely. Ranma groaned as he looked around for the man and waited for the next attack. It came of course but this time it was in the form of a giant monster with hideous claws. One of the claws shot forward with lightning speed and struck Ranma.   
  


Ranma looked around he was back in the professors study again. Charles sat right where he was when they had left. "You lost Ranma." stated the professor happily.   
  


"No way!" Ranma retaliated. "You cut me off to soon! I coulda beaten you no problem if you woulda just left me in there." Charles shook his head and leveled a stern look at Ranma.   
  


"If I had continued or duel you would have been _dead_ Ranma! I went easy on you in the first place."   
  


Ranma gawked at that bit of information. *Going _EASY_ on me?!?* Ranma thought. *That's impossible! I'm one of the best martial artists in Japan, possibly in the world! He's just...just...*   
  


A cripple? The professor supported mentally. "I asure you Ranma that I am quite capable of taking care of my own despite my disability. My mind is unparalleled in power on this earth defeating me is nigh impossible for one such as yourself."   
  


Ranma smirked. "You know I'm gonna want a rematch later on right?" He said.   
  


Charles nodded. "I look forward to our next meeting. But in the meantime your family is waiting for you and I suggest you go. We've been in the Astral Plane longer than it may actually seem for time is different int that place."   
  


Ranma nodded and got out of the chair that he was in opposite the Professor. The professor held out his hand and the Teenage psychic grasped it in a firm handshake. "Thank you for your time Professor."   
  


"It was my pleasure Ranma. I've already notified Beast about your plans to start your own school and he has agreed to accompany you and help you get started." Ranma nodded and then left the room.   
  


**************   
  


"Ready to go?" Asked Beast with a smile as he greeted Ranma in the dining room. Ranma nodded and the large man slapped Ranma on the back and led him to where the others where seated. Ranma winced painfully as the man did this he was still feeling the effects of the danger room. Marina had her head rested in her arms as she slept at the table. Nodoka just stood there smiling at Ranma. Storm was just looking bored. Ranma moved over to where Marina slept and put a hand on her shoulder to wake her she mumbled in her sleep for a moment and then just turned her head away from Ranma and kept sleeping.   
  


Ranma put on arm under Marina's legs and cradled her head and upper back with the other being especially carful not to wake her. "Let's go. Noted Ranma and then the quartet headed back down towards the hanger where the blackbird lay waiting. The hum of the jet's engines began once everyone was seated and buckled up. The hanger opened and the jet took off a moment later heading for Juuban Japan.   
  


*************   
  


{Well that's Chapter six. Not the best chapter and not my favorite but it gets the rest of the story going and explains Marina's powers so I'm not complaining. I like the story and I just want to get moving on to the big picture. I'll have some interesting new characters come in, in the next couple of chapters and Nabiki's plan to get back at Ranma will come to fruition. I haven't forgotten about the amazons either. Ar is coming along nicely and I'll be working on Dragon's bond soon enough. As well I have a new project that's based on my most hated character. I might do a completely non-Ranma fic later on but that won't be for a while. I've got enough projects as it is. 5 in total. I'm still looking for some fricking fan art. But I guess some people are just not into art. I just can't draw anime good. But I'm learning. Well that's all from me.}   
  


As always an Astral Shout out to my pre readers.   
  


Chow every one. 

Morden Night; The Black Lightning of Furinkan High.   
  



	7. The New Student

Check out the NEW Hotbot Tell me when this page is updated 

  
  


Astral Minds   
  


Disclaimer: Ranma ½ and all related characters do not belong to me. None of the X-Men belong to me either.   
  


* *: Thoughts   
  


Capital letters: Shouting or loud noises   
  


{ }: Author's own thoughts   
  


_ _: Stressed words   
  


[ ]: People speaking on TV   
  


: Psychic Projections   
  


Chapter 7   
  


The New Student   
  


Ranma yelped as he was once again shocked by the wires that he was trying to connect to the back of a control panel. "Shoulda seen that one coming." He muttered as he rubbed his hands. He let go of the wires and used his telekinesis to connect them instead. Beast was over on the other side of the dojo connecting wires and such to other things. Ranma had learned a great amount of technological intelligence from the Beast and was enjoying hooking up his own danger room in the dojo. "How's it going over there Hank?" Ranma called over to his companion.   
  


Beast didn't look up he was to into what he was doing. He just gave the pigtailed martial artist a thumbs up and continued working. Ranma chuckled and got back to work on what he was doing. He couldn't wait to test it out. It would make training Marina easier that eating pie. Not to mention the things he could do for himself with such technology.   
  


Ranma was busy screwing the panel onto the wall of the dojo after having connected the right wires to the correct ports and such when Marina entered the room. Ranma wasn't using his telepathy at the moment, he was among friends so he felt he really didn't need to use it in the house, except around Genma. "Hi Ranma." Marina said from behind him. Ranma waved at her but didn't turn around instead he shuffled over and began to work on the next panel.   
  


Marina frowned. That was not the response she had been looking for. She and Nodoka had been sewing and stitching her new outfit all morning and she wanted his opinion on it. Instead Ranma was engrossed in his work. She swore he picked bad habits up off of people like nothing. She stalked towards him and grabbed him by his shoulders. "I said: Hellooo Ranma!" She said this in a sultry purr and Ranma's eyes went wide he hadn't been expecting this. He turned around and looked at Marina who had backed up and was smiling. She spun around and winked at him. "What do you think?" She asked.   
  


Ranma looked her over from head to toe. She had on a blue skintight kevlar gene masking outfit on. She had modified it slightly to match her taste in clothing. It looked really good. It had yellow patterns running down the front and back, as well as the arms and legs. It had cuts in the sides of it that showed off her emerald green skin. When she spun around Ranma could see that there was a large slit at the back that ran from the edge of her shoulders to the small of her back just above her butt, which Ranma couldn't help but notice in the skin tight kevlar.   
  


"It looks...great!" Ranma said looking her over once again.   
  


Marina squealed in delight and jumped at Ranma to give him a hug. "I _knew_ you'd like it!" She said. Ranma couldn't help but smile. The girl had opened up a lot considering how little time she's been around. It made him feel good to know that she was happy.   
  


"I made one for you too." She said. "Me and your Mom modified the gene masking outfits Hank gave us to fit each others personalities." Ranma looked confused.   
  


"My personality?" Ha asked.   
  


Marina grabbed his hands and pulled him to his feet. "Come _on_ Ranma! Stop stalling! Come try it on." Ranma reluctantly followed.   
  


A very short while later Ranma came out of his room with his new suit on. It was skin tight just like Marina's but apparently they had to be if they were to properly mask the fact that he was a mutant. He had looked in the mirror and had to admit though, He did look good. Marina was an excellent seamstress. "How do I look?" He asked. Showing off his suit, with an uneasy half smile.   
  


Ranma wore a red kevlar suit that had patterns on it similar to Marina's only his were black, he had black arm bracers on his forearms with red on them. Three black belt like things ran across the top of his chest though they didn't serve any real purpose, they appeared to be there just for looks. He wore boots but they were light weight and the legs were mostly black. He had a red X on his right breast with black in between. Thankfully though Ranma's didn't have the large patches cut out on the back and sides.   
  


"You look amazing." Marina said. "You can put your normal clothes on overtop of it all. Beast suggested that if we were to ever fight off any villains or Sentinels than we should do so just in our Masking suits. Said it would be best if we kept our identities secret. For safety reasons." Ranma nodded.   
  


"Yeah I already know. Did Hank give us any extra suits just in case we got any new recruits?"   
  


Marina nodded. "We've got five extras. Three male and two female." Ranma smiled.   
  


"Great! This thing will adjust to whatever body I'm in right?" Ranma asked. Marina looked a little confused for a second and then nodded.   
  


"Oh yeah the curse! Yes it adjusts. I looked after that, well, not really it was Hanks idea." Just then Nodoka, Ranma's mother, came up the stairs. Her jaw dropped when she saw the two teenagers standing there in the gene masking suits.   
  


"WHAT ARE YOU TWO STILL DOING HERE! YOU SHOULD BE AT SCHOOL!" Ranma winced.   
  


"Uh, We forgot?" He supplied weakly.   
  


Nodoka frowned and pushed Ranma into his room. "Get changed as fast as you can and get to school NOW!" She did the same to Marina.   
  


Ranma threw his clothes overtop of his gene masking suit as fast as he could and met Marina out in the hall. They rushed down the stairs together and met Nodoka who had their lunches and a glass of water. She splashed Ranma with the water, turning him into his female cursed form, and gave them their lunches. Ranma and Marina ran out the door and then Ranma jumped to the rooftops after grabbing Marina in her arms. They leapt across Juuban headed for Nerima.   
  


When they got to the class they were told to wait out in the hall for being late. They moaned and did as they were told, picking up two pails filled with cold water on the way. When they got out in the hall a girl walked past them and into the same classroom.   
  


"Who's that?" Asked Marina after the girl closed the door behind her. Ranma shrugged.   
  


"Beats the hell out of me. I've never seen her before. She must be new." Marina nodded and just stood there for a moment.   
  


"Ranma?" She finally asked.   
  


"Yeah?" Ranma wondered looking at her inquisitively.   
  


"I..." Marina was cut off as the door opened again and the same girl walked out into the hall with two pails full of water. One in each hand. "Never mind." Marina said, not wanting to finish what she was saying with the new girl there.   
  


Ranma smiled at the girl as she walked by and stood by Ranma. She had an air of confidence around her, her long silky black hair cascaded openly down her back, she was lithe and looked as though she worked out. She had vibrant green eyes and she had a pierced nose with a ring through her left nostril. Ranma had to admit she was very beautiful.   
  


"Hi." Ranma said. Setting down one of her buckets and extending a hand towards the new girl. "I'm Ranma Saotome. What's your name?" The girl looked at the hand a little cautiously and then smiled, grabbing the hand in a firm handshake.   
  


"I'm Leyu Yoshida." She said with a small smirk that reminded Ranma of the girl Nabiki that was in her previous class. He had been transferred up a grade but had asked the principle if he could stay back with his own age group. She didn't feel comfortable up with so many strangers. He'd rather hang around with Marina. Besides, Kuno and Nabiki kind of freaked him out.   
  


"Your new here eh?" Ranma asked as he let go of the handshake and picked up her bucket again. "I just started a couple of days here myself." Ranma then leaned forward and pointed at Marina. "She's new here too. Her names Marina." Leyu set down one of her buckets and extended the hand to Marina who happily accepted it   
  


"Hi."   
  


"Hello." Leyu pulled back her hand from the seemingly normal looking girl and stared at her hand confusedly. Marina although looking perfectly normal, felt oddly different, like something metal, or bone or something. She smiled, picked up her bucket and just stood there. Ranma was about to say something but he heard something in the distance and then the floor started to shake. It started off as just a small tremor then it escalated into something that shook the very foundation, threatening to knock both Ranma and Marina off their feet.   
  


"WHAT'S GOING ON!?!" Marina yelled over the noise that accompanied the shaking.   
  


"I DON'T KNOW!" Ranma yelled as well. Just then Leyu dropped her buckets and ran down the halls in search of a bathroom. "HEY LEYU WHERE ARE YOU GOING!?!" He called out to her, but she was already gone and not listening anyway. Ranma took off her shirt and dropped her pants. She had her gene masking suit on underneath and then she ran over to the nearest boys bathroom. She splashed herself with warm water, turning into his male form, and ran towards where she heard the noise at first. As he ran past Marina, who was also taking off her school clothes to reveal her Kevlar uniform, he dropped her telekinetic projection of normalcy and motioned for her to follow him.   
  


As the two ran through the hallways they could see many students stumbling down the halls towards the noise. He had already did a mind scan to estimate the extent of the damage and to figure out what they were dealing with and he was a little surprised at what it was.   
  


Ranma stopped in his tracks and stopped Marina as well. The floor just stopped. They were on the third floor right at the moment and once they got to the end of the hall it just stopped and they came upon a huge amount of wreckage. Ranma looked over to the right of the wreckage and his face fell into a worried frown. "Oh crap." He noted to himself.   
  


Marina looked over at what Ranma was looking at and put on an expression very similar to that of Ranma's own. Out in the schoolyard was a huge monster. It was purple, blue, and black in colors and stood about two stories tall. It had two heads that were exactly the same and equally hideous. It's features reminded Ranma of a Japanese style dragon mixed with some sort of fish. It stood on two feet though and had fairly human looking musculature, other than the rock like patches of armor plating on it's back, arms, legs and head.   
  


"That's a student." Ranma said.   
  


"WHAT?" Marina asked incredulously. "How could that thing be a student?" She asked. "It's HUGE! Not to mention ugly!" Ranma put up a hand to shush her.   
  


"Mutant powers develop at adolescence. We're in a high school, there's bound to be a few mutations here and there. I just never thought they'd be this extreme or this fast!" Ranma jumped down to the ground below and sent a mental message out to the oversized mutant. He carried Marina down with him. "What happened?" He asked the creature. It looked over at him and roared angrily. Ranma could hear it's thoughts though and knew what it was mad about.   
  


"Marina look through the ruble and try to find some survivors. I'm sure there was some people hurt in the wreckage." Marina nodded and rushed to the wreckage, ripping up blocks of cement and clearing as much stuff away as she could, looking for people.   
  


"I know you're upset. I know you just want to be normal, but this is what you are!" Ranma said to the creature in his mind as he cautiously walked towards it. "I just want to help you Daisuke." The two headed Daisuke monster let off a scream of rage and rushed towards Ranma. Ranma was about to mind spike him unconscious when a blast of subatomic heat ripped through the air and slammed into the creatures chest.   
  


Ranma whipped his head around to see what had done that and saw a girl flying through the air, an aura of fire surrounding her. She was headed towards Daisuke "Destroying a school goes pretty low monster!" She screamed as she hurled through the air getting ready to attack again. Ranma looked towards Daisuke the monster and noticed that he was struggling to get up from the blast. His chest was smoking and he was glaring daggers at the flying woman from both sets of eyes.   
  


Ranma put up a TK force field in front of him and the monster just as the girl threw another sub atomic flame blast forth. She stopped in mid flight when she saw her blast just stop. Ranma pulled down the barrier and sent a mental message towards the girl. "Don't hurt him he's just confused!"   
  


Leyu Yoshida, a.k.a. Sunpyre, stood shocked in mid flight as she felt some boy's voice inside her head. She was merely trying to banish the monster before it could hurt anymore students, now this boy was telling her that she couldn't. "Get out of my head!" She screamed as she reared back to throw another blast at the two headed monster. Ranma threw out a mental confusion attack that he was still playing around with and Leyu's arms froze up and she then dropped to the ground.   
  


Ranma had already read her mind and knew that she was Leyu. He jumped forward to intercept her before she hit the ground and then set her on her feet. "Leyu..." He began.   
  


"How did...?"   
  


Ranma put up a hand and smiled. "I'm a mutant like you. I'm a telepath. This isn't some random monster. It's a mutant. Like us. His name is Daisuke and his X-factor has just kicked in." Leyu looked up at the two headed monster and stared confused.   
  


"What can we do?" she asked. Ranma thought for a second as he stared at the huge monster. It was breathing heavily and appeared to be tired. Ranma looked over to Marina who was still digging through the rubble and then. Glared at the monstrous form of Daisuke. Ranma powered up a T.K. blast and hurled it at the two headed mutant. Leyu was confused as to what Ranma was doing but when the telekinetic blast hit the monster it just disappeared. "W...where did he go?" She asked Ranma. Ranma smiled and gave a mental call for Marina to join them.   
  


"Why don't we get out of class early today?" Ranma asked. Marina and Leyu followed him and they ran away in the direction of the school gates.   
  


***************   
  


Ranma, Leyu, and Marina landed in the Saotome front yard about ten minutes later. Ranma had used his telekinesis to mask their presences from any prying eyes, and to fly them across Nerima and into Juuban. "Some trick." Leyu noted as she looked around. Beast, hearing voices outside, came out of the dojo/danger room to see what was going on.   
  


Ranma waved to Hank. "Hey Hank. Could you go get my mom? I need to talk to her." Beast nodded.   
  


"Sure. I guess I could." Hank then entered the house and soon came out with Nodoka in tow.   
  


"Ranma? What are you doing home so soon?" She asked.   
  


"I've found a couple of new Mutants today mom. I was wondering if they could stay with us until they could control their powers." Nodoka nodded.   
  


"Of course dear. Any friend of yours is welcome in my house as long as they like." She said with a smile. She then directed her eyes to the girl in the red and white costume with the mask. "And your name is?" She asked her.   
  


Ranma cut in. "Actually mom. The kid I was really wondering about is a little more difficult to room." Ranma lowered his Telekinetic masking field and hovering in the air above them was a two story tall monster with two heads and rock like armor plates covering parts of it's body.   
  


"Oh My!" Nodoka said with her hand covering her mouth. " It certainly is...BIG!" The woman then composed herself slightly and blushed. " I don't think even the dojo could accommodate him." Ranma set the monstrous form of Daisuke on the ground and he just sat there slumped over with a sad look in his eyes. Nodoka couldn't help but notice how humane those eyes were. Ranma had already calmed him down with a little psychic cooling so he was virtually harmless at the moment.   
  


Just then the worst thing that could happen, happened. Genma walked out of the house intent on going over to the nearest bar and getting drunk. He stopped in his tracks however when his gaze fell upon a huge two headed monster sitting in his front yard. He saw Ranma, Marina, Nodoka, and some other mutants standing by it and he growled.   
  


"RANMA!!!" He yelled. "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU! NOW YOUR BRINGING HOME THE BIG ONES! I AUGHT TO DISOWN YOU, YOU UNGRATEFUL MUTANT FREAK OF A CHILD!!" Ranma heard his fathers ranting loud and clear. To be perfectly frank it was the last thing he wanted to hear.   
  


Ranma whipped his head at his father and growled himself. "THAT'S IT! I'VE HAD IT WITH YOUR BITCHING AND WHINING ABOUT MUTANTS!" Ranma then lifted Genma into the air with his telekinesis. "I should have done this a long time ago!" he said.   
  


"PUT ME DOWN! DON'T YOU DARE USE THOSE HELL BORN POWERS ON ME! I'M YOUR FATHER!" Genma yelled, he then found himself paralyzed. Ranma shut his eyes in concentration. Genma started to spasm in the air and then Ranma finally set him down. Nodoka ran over to her husbands side and felt his pulse. Sure enough he was alive but she was still worried as to what Ranma had done to him.   
  


"Ranma..." She began. Ranma held up a hand to stop her.   
  


"Don't worry about that fool. He'll be fine. Though his view on mutants will be a hell of a lot different!" Ranma then turned back to the matter of the mutated Daisuke. He turned to Beast. "Is there anyway that we could provide Daisuke with some sort of shelter and a gene cloaking suit?" He asked the bestial mutant.   
  


Hank put his hand on his chin and looked thoughtful. "I think." He said. "That we may be able to set up an establishment somewhere underground given time. How long did it take the boy to mutate to such a large frame?" Ranma shrugged.   
  


"Just a couple of minutes I guess. It might have been instantly. It caught everyone by surprise." He replied. "Why what does that got to do with anything?"   
  


"Well If the boy's mutation came fast like you said it had than he may be able to control his size or even be able to turn back into his original self." Beast said. "But don't take my word for it. I'm just the scientific genius."   
  


Ranma looked interested, Daisuke even more so. "I can change back?" Daisuke asked in a gravelly and equally monstrous tone as his appearance. It seemed to echo because both heads said the same thing at the same time.   
  


Hank looked up at the extremely mutated youth and shrugged. "You might be able to. It all depends really."   
  


"On what?" Both Ranma and Daisuke said at the same time.   
  


Hank smiled. "On whether or not my guess is anywhere near the correct answer." Ranma and Daisuke groaned. Daisuke sounded low and it reverberated off of the walls and almost seemed like it echoed inside their heads. "Just trying to lighten things up." Beast said. Nobody said anything. They just all glared at him. "What!?"   
  


Ranma looked over at Daisuke and noticed something that he hadn't before. "What's that?" He asked. Beast looked up inquisitively at the boy.   
  


"What's what?" He asked.   
  


Ranma walked towards Daisuke and pointed directly at what he had saw. "What is THAT!?" Beast followed Ranma's hand and looked at what he was pointing at. They appeared to be three slits in Daisuke's Chest area.   
  


Beast reached forward and lifted one of the flaps up. "Oh my. These appear to be gills."   
  


"Gills eh? You thinking what I'm thinking Hank?" Ranma asked.   
  


"Oh I think I've got a good idea, after all you are projecting that very thought into my mind."   
  


"What? What are you two thinking?" Marina asked.   
  


Ranma smiled at the snake skinned girl that was his best friend. "How do you hide a two story tall monster with gills?" He asked.   
  


Hank supplied the answer for her. "Tokyo Bay. It's deep enough to hide Daisuke and his gills will allow him to breath underwater until we can make up some sort of underground or subterranean housing for him."   
  


Ranma nodded. "Right! And then we also have enough time to make a gene masking suit that'll fit him." A groan sounded off near the house and everyone turned their heads to see Genma getting up. "Oh lucky us!" Ranma said sarcastically before walking over to Genma. He put a hand on Genma's shoulder and smiled at the man. "How yah doing Pop?" He asked.   
  


Genma looked up at Ranma and then past him to gaze on his friends. "Shouldn't you kids be at school?" he asked. Ranma smiled and sighed a HUGE sigh of relief.   
  


"Thank god it worked." He muttered to himself. Genma yawned and looked confused.   
  


"What worked boy? You finally figure out that new technique I showed you?" Ranma smiled.   
  


"Yeah! That's it. New technique."   
  


Genma stood up and shook his head. "You'll have to show me later. In the meantime you have to get to school. I don't want to see any reports coming in that you and Marina are skipping." Genma then walked over to Marina and smiled at her. Marina was nervous at this advance since she knew that she didn't have Ranma's telekinetic illusion on at the moment. Genma put his arms around her in a...HUG!?! Marina nearly passed out from confusion or something. It was such a huge and quick change that it was mind blowing. "Now Rina." He said in, what she could almost discern as, a loving tone. "My favorite little girl shouldn't be skipping out on her studies like this. It's not how a young woman should act."   
  


He let go of her and smiled before heading into the house. Marina stared after the man confused. She then frowned and turned around to glare at Ranma she grabbed him by the skintight Kevlar and shook him. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM!? THAT WAS THE WEIRDEST MOST UNCOMFORTABLE...!" Ranma put up his hands in an innocent gesture.   
  


"HEY! I just gave the old fart a few different views on mutants and education and all! You of all should be happy! At least he isn't thinking murderous thoughts towards you anymore! That should be a little bit comforting!" Marina's glare lost all of its edge and she let go of Ranma's suit. The boy smoothed it out and smiled giddily.   
  


"Just make sure he doesn't hug me again!" She said. Ranma snapped his fingers and smiled even wider, if a little silly.   
  


"Done!" He said.   
  


Hank cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. "Now that we've all gotten the fat idiot, that is Ranma's father, off our case; can we get back to the task at hand?" He said pointing to Daisuke who was drawing pictures in the lawn with his huge claws in boredom.   
  


Ranma chuckled. "You might want to take back that idiot comment. I also gave him a college education in business and physical fitness. As for the fat part."   
  


A scream echoed throughout the Saotome household and Genma ran out the door. "NODOKA I'VE GOTTEN FAT!!! WE NEED TO ORDER SOME EXTRA EXERCISE EQUIPMENT! RANMA! WE WILL BE TRAINING AFTER EVERY MEAL FROM NOW ON!" Ranma smiled at Marina.   
  


"I think it's safe to say that we'll be seeing a new Genma Saotome from now on."   
  


***************   
  


Leyu Yoshida flew through the air alone in the guise of Sunpyre. She had been a mutant for a mere four years. Her powers developed earlier than most mutants did. She had her head filled with spandex superherodome by her older brother Shiro who had developed a similar power as hers when he was 15. He made a costume and went out as the costumed hero Sunfire. He dedicated using his powers for good and saving people's lives. She idolized her brother since she was nine years old because of that and always wished that she could be like him when she grew up.   
  


Every morning from then on she would hold her toast over her hand hoping that she would develop some powers and toast it with them. She would jump off the porch at her house into piles of snow hoping that she would be engulfed in sub atomic flames and take of into the sky. Many of the times her brother would watch her do these things and laugh at her when she failed. He couldn't help it. She looked hilarious when ever she creased her face in absolute concentration or came up covered head to toe in snow.   
  


When she got a little older Shirow moved out of the house. He wasn't there to carry her around Tokyo through the air, he wasn't there to laugh at her misfortunes. The only times she got to see her brother was when he visited... occasionally or when she saw Sunfire's picture in the paper. But then he stopped visiting and he stopped appearing in the papers. That was also about the same time that she developed her powers. She had left home herself soon after making her own costume similar to Shirow's She was determined to find him. She had a horrible feeling that something bad had happened to her older brother. She now spent most of her time looking for him. She hadn't gotten any leads at the moment though. She was still running blind in a hurricane as to the situation of her brother's disappearance.   
  


She landed on the roof of the apartment building that she was currently taking up residence at and sighed as she sat down on a wooden crate and took off her mask, which looked similar to the features of a dragon with dark lenses for eyes. She looked up to the sky forlornly. "Where are you Shirow?" She asked to no one in particular hoping that she would get some sort of answer. Some sort of sign that might give her an idea as to where he might have went.   
  


"I'm sorry about your brother Leyu." came a voice behind her. Leyu shot to her feet and charged up an atomic flame in her hands ready to let loose on whoever it was that had snuck up on her.   
  


Ranma didn't even flinch. Having already known what Leyu was going to do. "I know your a mutant. I know what you're looking for. I'm asking you to join me. I'm merely putting together a group of people to fight for right and justice, Human's and mutants alike. Much like Shirow did."   
  


"What do you want!" Leyu asked, not letting her flame die down.   
  


Ranma smiled and held out a hand to her. "I want to help. That is, if you'll help me. I have the resources and the contacts that may help in finding your brother. If you join my X-Men I'll do everything in my power to help you. I promise."   
  


Leyu didn't know what to do. She had met this boy only this morning. She had just about killed an innocent mutant if it wasn't for him stopping her. She wasn't sure what to do. This boy promised to be able to do what she couldn't for the past four years of her life. His offer was tempting and a lot of the situations she had been in as a super hero would have been much simpler with a team. She looked at the hand Ranma held out to her cautiously. She also looked at the boy who owned that hand. She smiled as she got a good look at the Kevlar coated man in front of her. He was well muscled and his facial features were handsome. She grabbed his hand and shook it. Powering down her atomic flame as well.   
  


"I'll accept your offer." She said. *There's always _some_ perks.* She noted in her mind.   
  


Ranma smiled nervously as he read those thoughts in her head and wondered if this was a smart idea.   
  


"Welcome to the Japanese branch of the X-Men Sunpyre." Ranma said giving her a firm handshake. Sunpyre returned the handshake with pleasure.   
  


****************   
  


Ranma entered the Saotome home soon later with Leyu Yoshida in tow. Marina was having a game of Shogi with Hank, and Nodoka was in the kitchen. "I take it Daisuke has already gone to Tokyo Bay?" Ranma asked. Beast looked up at Ranma and nodded.   
  


"Yes he has. He wasn't to happy about having to hide away in the water for so long but he seems to be dealing with becoming a mutant pretty well." Hank didn't notice Marina take a few pieces off of the board and throwing them into the pond. Ranma smiled both at what Hank said and Marina's desperation for a win, apparently they had been playing a while and she hasn't won yet.   
  


"That's good news. I'm going to need a gene blocking suit for Leyu here." Ranma said. He then took the girl upstairs to get one of them. Marina eyed the girl with Ranma with distaste. As she followed behind the boy. She looked down at the board again and noticed that a few of her pieces were missing. The fact that Hank had just swallowed something didn't escape her either.   
  


Ranma handed Leyu one of the Gene blocking suits out of the closet. "You should wear this at all times Leyu. It hides the fact that your a mutant from sentinels." Leyu took the kevlar suit and stared at it in confusion.   
  


"What's a sentinel?" She asked.   
  


"It's a robot that stands several stories tall that tracks and eliminates mutants systematically. They are being made in the USA by the dozen and Japan is in talks with getting some for themselves. If they do get some then no mutant is safe in Japan." Leyu took this all in with just a little hesitation to believe it. It was pretty odd.   
  


"Ranma? Wasn't there a girl at school with the same name? I met her out in the hall with that Marina girl, though she looked normal at the time. Is that another mutant ability of yours? To change into a girl?" Ranma chuckled and shook his head.   
  


"Not everything strange that happens is a mutant ability. I got this curse in China that changes my sex with different temperatures of water. It's no big deal. I use it mainly to cover up the fact that I'm a mutant."   
  


Leyu nodded. "Oh. Right." She folded up the suit that Ranma had handed to her and turned around to leave. "Say Ranma?"   
  


"Uhh yeah? Ranma replied already knowing what she was going to say. Not really wanting to answer such a question. Since he didn't know her too well yet he decided to keep her at arms length for the moment and keep a mental tabs on her.   
  


"Do you...?" Just then Marina came running up the stairs.   
  


"Ranma! Nodoka says dinner's ready. She want's to know if your _friend_ will be staying." Ranma shook his head.   
  


"No she has to go right now actually. She's got rent to pay on her apartment that she's been putting off." He said hoping that he could get her to leave without there being a cat fight break out between the two girls. He had already sensed Marina's jealousy towards the girl, and Leyu's attraction towards him.   
  


Leyu looked at Ranma inquisitively. "How did...?" She asked. Ranma just smiled and pointed to his head. The three teens then walked down the stairs together, Marina staying a little closer to Ranma than usual. When they got to the bottom of the stairs Leyu parted and headed towards the front door.   
  


Nodoka set the food she had prepared and looked around. She groaned and looked to Ranma. "Ranma go get your father off of that blasted Ab roller and get him to the table. He needs to eat. Why did you have to make him so obsessed about his body's appearance?" Ranma got up from the table and shrugged.   
  


"Figured I was doing you a favor mom." He said before rushing out to the dojo/danger room. Nodoka blushed a little and continued to set the table for everyone.   
  


*****************   
  


Meanwhile underneath Tokyo bay. Daisuke swam beneath the waters using his humongous appendages. In a way he felt free here. He had always loved the water and has always excelled at swimming, but in the light of his mutation he was now able to stand extreme depths. He was currently on the bottom of Tokyo Bay. He had to, he was to big to be on land without being noticed. As he glided through the waters he opened both of his gigantic mouths to engulf schools of fish at a time. In a very short time he had grown quite a taste for raw fish. In a way he felt better than he had in a long time. He felt free. Free from all of life's little worries.   
  


Daisuke looked up to the surface of the water and smiled mischievously. His eyes narrowed and he shot upwards towards the small wooden fishing boat that had it's nets hung over the side in the water. He lay just under the water and waited for just the right moment.   
  


***************   
  


Hiroki Mensuri was a simple man. He was also a poor man. A simple fisherman. He could barely get by with the pay he got for his catch. He never seemed to have any luck either so her spent most of his days just letting the nets sit while he played a game boy that had been a gift for his son a few years back when he had a better paying job.   
  


"Damn it!" Hiroki shouted as he thumped his fist on the side of the boat. He was currently playing the latest Pokemon game and was having the worst of luck yet. He just couldn't seem to catch any damned Rapidashes.   
  


When Hiroki's fist collided with the wooden side of his boat though the entire boat jerked. In that direction. "What the?" The man said, as he stood up surprised. "I didn't know I had it in me."   
  


Hiroki was wrong about that though and the boat jerked again. "Wait a minute." Hiroki muttered. He walked over to the side of his boat where his net was draped over but was stopped when the entire boat started moving sideways. It was going pretty fast and he was knocked off of his feet and onto his butt when it first jerked forward.   
  


****************   
  


Daisuke was having the time of his life. He could hear the little Japanese fisherman from underneath the water and had to fight just to keep from laughing. Though he wondered what that would sound like in his new voice. Or rather voices if you thought about it.   
  


"WOAAAAHHH!" The fisherman screamed as he tried to get to the other side of the boat to see what was pulling him so fast. He finally got to the edge and looked down into the fairly murky waters.   
  


Daisuke couldn't help it anymore. The moment he saw that look on the fisherman's face he burst out laughing and sunk down into the water. The laugh however sounded a whole lot different to poor Hiroki's ears. Hiroki backed up to the other side of his little boat and screamed.   
  


"GOJIRAAAAAA!!!!"   
  


Daisuke decided to put on a little bit of a show. And leapt out of the water a few hundred yards from the lone boat. He straightened his monstrous legs and touched his toes before righting himself and diving back into the bay.   
  


Hiroki screamed again as he saw this and stood terrified on the deck of his wooden fishing boat just staring out in the distance where the monster had disappeared. "Gojira has two heads... and no tail!" Hiroki pulled up the net that had been grabbed by the two monstrous heads and stared in horror at the rips and tears in it.   
  


"Money be damned! I'm never fishing again!" With that Hiroki pulled the motor to his boat and set off for land as fast as he could.   
  


****************   
  


Later that evening Marina Kitata sat in the Saotome home living room with Genma, Nodoka, Hank, and Ranma watching the Television. They were currently watching a special news bulletin that had come up. Marina stared in horror at the screen.   
  


["Today in the Nerima district another mutant rampage has occurred. This time at a school. We have that story live with Saeko. Saeko?"] The screen then changed to show a Japanese reporter standing in front of a pile of rubble.   
  


["Thank you Naomi. I'm standing here at a pile of rubble that was once the west side of Furinkan high school in Nerima district; Tokyo. Seventeen students were injured in the rampage here earlier today. Six were hospitalized and two are now dead, as well as one teacher who was only three weeks away from her retirement. One student who was in one of the classes that is now rubble, Daisuke Sugiki, has still not been found. Back to you Naomi."]   
  


Naomi faced the camera and smiled. ["In light of this horrible rampage the Japanese government has vowed to put a stop to the mutant problem and has signed a form mere hours ago ordering two hundred Sentinels, which have been successful in seeking out and destroying over four thousand mutants in the United States."]   
  


Ranma frowned as he watched the screen and listened to the words of the woman that was portrayed on the screen. "This is bad." Ranma noted. Genma and the rest nodded.   
  


When will you have a gene blocking suit done for Daisuke Hank?" Marina asked. Beast shrugged his massive shoulders.   
  


"It could be a couple days. I sent the measurements to Xavier but he said that it may not be till Monday that it'll be ready." Ranma nodded.   
  


"Well I don't think that Daisuke will have too much to worry about. The Sentinels will stick mainly to the land. That's where the highest percentage of Mutants are located. But we should also get some extra's just in case we meet any unfortunate mutants along the way. I think we're going to have to spend a lot of our time fighting these sentinels if we really want to help anyone." Ranma said. He then sighed. "This is pointless. We are actually just the next evolution of the human race. A huge percentage of the human race is mutants."   
  


Hank put a comforting hand on Ranma's shoulder. "Cheer up Ranma. We can't save everyone but we can try. We can definitely save a few. After all a few people can make a huge difference." Ranma nodded.   
  


"I pray you're right Hank. I really do."   
  


*****************   
  


Elsewhere across Juuban and in the living area of Nerima. Leyu Yoshida stared at the TV in wonder. "Wow! He was right. He was telling the truth." She turned off her television and then folded up her Sunpyre costume. She looked at the kevlar gene masking suit that Ranma gave her and then glanced at the TV. She took off her nightgown and slipped on the Masking suit. She then lay down in her bed and pulled the sheets up over her shoulders.   
  


"God help us all." She said before nodding off.   
  


*****************   
  


Authors notes: {I don't think there's a whole lot to say except that this is so far my favorite chapter of Astral Minds. I'll bet nobody thought that Daisuke would be the next mutant to come around, or that he would have such a huge and monstrous mutation. I like the part with the fisherman. That was cute. But where are the Amazons? What is it that Marina was trying to ask Ranma out in the hall? Where's Kuno? What is Nabiki going to do to Ranma? Bet you forgot about that last one or something eh? When will Ryoga get there? Well I'm going to answer a lot of these questions in the next chapter. I'll be doing Astral Minds more often now. If I don't get chapters out often enough, my brother Jacob will try to write them. You don't want that trust me. I've been writing fanfics longer than he has(never). So Astral Minds will update a lot more regularly, but I'll have to slow it down eventually because I'm following bot Ranma and Ultimate X-Men. I'll scan some ultimate pics onto my site soon, as well I'll do a few sketches of my characters with their new costumes. I'll do that as soon as I get a new sketchbook. You'll like Daisuke. He looks hella cool. I'll be doing a little bit of Adamantium Rage as well. Dragon's Bond will not be updated for a while though. I need to watch the Slayers series again and get caught up, as well I need to touch up the old chapters. Animeaddiction will be putting out a special chapter of Ranma In Black on his sight soon and then I'm going to be continuing that. Sweet eh? Yeah that's what I thought. As always here's hoping you keep reading.}   
  


Morden Night: anime_morden@crystal-tokyo.com 

  
  


Peace all.   
  



	8. Who's The Girl?

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Astral Minds   
  


Disclaimer: Ranma ½ and all related characters do not belong to me. None of the X-Men belong to me either.   
  


* *: Thoughts   
  


Capital letters: Shouting or loud noises   
  


{ }: Author's own thoughts   
  


_ _: Stressed words   
  


[ ]: Chinese Language   
  


: Psychic Projections   
  


Chapter 8   
  


Who's The Girl?   
  


Nabiki Tendo, the Ice Queen of Furinkan high lay in a hospital bed. She was in the class across from where the mutant attack had started her legs were crushed by the rubble that fell on her and she was one of the many who had been admitted to The Nerima hospital afterwards. She sighed and set down a book that she had been reading on the table that sat between her and another bed, which was occupied by another student. The book was about business and money, her two favorite subjects.   
  


Nabiki looked at her legs, which were in casts, and sighed again, only a little more heavily. She remembered what the doctor had told her earlier when she had first woke up.   
  


**************   
  


Nabiki woke up with a headache. That wasn't normal for her, she never got sick. She looked at herself though and realized that she was in a hospital bed and both her legs were in casts. She then remembered what had happened at the school the other day before she blacked out and grumbled as she folded her arms across her chest. A doctor came into the room a moment later with a clipboard, whistling a happy tune.   
  


The man looked up at Nabiki and stopped when he noticed that she was awake. He got serious immediately and approached her bed. "Miss Tendo?" Nabiki nodded and the Doctor continued. He extended a hand towards the girl and smiled. "I'm doctor Himada I..."   
  


Nabiki frowned. "Get to the point doctor." She said in an icy tone. The doctor swallowed hard and looked down at the clipboard.   
  


"Uhm...well, Nabiki, Your legs have been crushed. The bones had twisted out of place and there's no way that we can...make them as good as new. You'll be able to walk, but you will need a cane with you at all times and running is out of the question." Nabiki stared at her legs shocked for a while and then back up at the doctor. The doctor walked away and exited the room she was in. After a while a tear fell from her eye and she began to cry.   
  


*************   
  


Nabiki smirked at the memory. She was embarrassed just thinking about it. If anyone had actually saw her cry, she wouldn't know what to do. She was the ice queen, the hardcore bitch of Furinkan high. She had a reputation to uphold. She looked over at the kid next to her. He was in a full body cast and would never walk again. She had overheard the doctor's diagnoses when the boy's family came to visit him. She knew the kid, he was one of her top advisors at Furinkan, she would even go so far sometimes to call him a friend. She almost felt sorry for the boy but she had a reputation to uphold.   
  


Just then the door to her room opened up and her family entered. Soun was crying...again. Akane had a furious expression on her face, Nabiki could almost tell exactly what she was thinking, she was so predictable and two-dimensional. Kasumi was smiling and carrying a bunch of flowers. Nabiki recognized them as the ones that she grew in their garden. They walked up and stood beside her bed.   
  


"How are you feeling Nabiki?" Kasumi asked.   
  


Akane glared at her eldest sister. "What would you care?" She said quietly. "It was one of your kind that did this to her!" Kasumi frowned at Akane. She had been like this ever since she had revealed that she was a mutant. Her father and Nabiki were the only ones that were passive towards her genetic structure.   
  


"Akane be nice to your sister." Soun said through the tears. "We're here to support Nabiki and help her through this terrible ordeal!" Akane nodded and shut up, vying for just keeping her eyes off of Kasumi.   
  


Nabiki smirked. "You seem to be taking it worse than anyone else Daddy." She said. She eeped when Soun leaned down with lightning speed and grabbed his middle daughter in a hug.   
  


"OH MY LITTLE GIRL! IF ONLY I COULD TRADE PLACES WITH YOU!!!" He said with buckets of water pouring from his eyes.   
  


"Daddy!" Nabiki said in annoyance hoping that he would get the picture.   
  


"I'LL NEVER LET YOU LEAVE MY SIGHT EVER AGAIN!! DON'T WORRY NABIKI! DADDY WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU!!" Soun appeared not to have heard Nabiki and kept bawling and blabbing.   
  


Nabiki sighed. "Looks like I don't got much of a choice." She took a deep breath and then... "AAAAAHHH! DADDY YOU'RE HURTING ME!! LET GO!!"   
  


Soun heard his daughters cries of pain and jumped back as though she had just turned into a white hot flame. "OH NO!! I hurt my BABYYYYY!!! WAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!" Soun cried trying to keep his distance from Nabiki. "I CAN NEVER LIVE WITH MYSELF!!" Soun then ran out of the room and down the halls of the Hospital.   
  


Akane and Kasumi looked towards Nabiki with worried expressions. Nabiki, however, was calm as she ever was and was reading her business book. "Don't you think you went a little overboard?" Akane asked her hospitalized sister.   
  


Nabiki shrugged and smiled. "Naw. I was Juliet in the school play in grade six. Over acting is what the business is all about. Sides, when is daddy not like that?" Kasumi and Akane nodded their agreement with their sister. She was right. Their father blubbered about everything ever since their mother had died.   
  


Kasumi set the flowers she had picked on the table beside Nabiki's bed. "I picked these myself." She said Nabiki smiled.   
  


"Thanks sis."   
  


Kasumi leaned down and kissed Nabiki on her forehead and then left with a wave. Akane was glaring at Kasumi the entire time that she had done that. She then took Nabiki's hand in her own and stared deep into her incapacitated sister's eyes. "Nabiki. I know you're not holding any blame on that mutant that wrecked the school but I _swear_ That I will get revenge on that horrible creature for doing this to you!" Nabiki looked at Akane a little scared.   
  


"Akane?" She said.   
  


"Yeah?" Akane replied.   
  


"You are freaking me out now. Could you take a chill pill or something?" Akane frowned.   
  


"I'll show the world Nabiki. Those freaks don't got nothing on me. I'll reveal them for the freaks that they are." Nabiki was really getting scared now. "None of them will escape the wrath of Akane Tendo!" Nabiki was terrified now. Akane was acting like a Kuno wannabe who was out for mutant blood. Nabiki was afraid that her sister might go out and do something tragic.   
  


"I'd...like to be alone now...Akane." Nabiki said nervously. Akane nodded and left the room. Nabiki sighed. "Whoo boy! That girl definitely needs therapy or something."   
  


****************   
  


Ranma and Marina were walking through the streets of Juuban heading towards Tokyo Bay. Marina looked normal at the moment. Ranma smiled at her, he was male at the moment, school was canceled for the last few days, and it was a beautiful day out. The world was right in Ranma Saotome's mind. He and Marina were on their way to Tokyo Bay to see Daisuke and give him the gene blocking suite that they had finished.   
  


"Why do you look so happy?" Ranma asked Marina who was walking beside him. She just smiled and held up a pen like device in her hand after digging it out of her pocket. Ranma looked confused. "What is it?"   
  


"Why don't you read my mind Ranma?" She asked playfully. Ranma shook his head.   
  


"I'd rather not. I don't want to use my telepathy to find the answer to everything. It's nice to actually have a conversation for once." Marina frowned mockingly.   
  


"Party pooper." She said. "You're no fun." They paused for a few moments then Marina continued. "It's a image generator pen. All I have to do to look normal now is press a button, if I want it off it's just as simple. Hank made it for me yesterday. He said it would be better if you didn't expend your energy on me all the time. You never know what super powered baddies would show up. Or so he says."   
  


Ranma nodded and smiled. "I already knew that." Marina frowned and punched the boy in the arm lightly.   
  


"You already read my mind didn't you!?" She said, her smile not leaving her face.   
  


"No I didn't. I was talking to Hank this morning. He told me."   
  


"Why'd you make me explain it all over again then?" Marina asked.   
  


Ranma just shrugged and she punched him in the arm a little harder.   
  


The pair walked a bit longer and then came across an all you can eat restaurant. Ranma smiled and his belly growled a bit. He eyed Yin's all you can eat buffet and noticed that they were still open. "Want to get some lunch?" Ranma asked the girl beside him. She nodded and her belly also growled, though not with near as much ferocity as Ranma's.   
  


"Okay." The pair entered the restaurant in a moment and got a table for two. The owner of the establishment eyes Ranma suspiciously. He looked a lot like a girl that had come in a couple of days ago, he even wore the same clothing. The girl with the red hair had nearly ate him out of business. He shrugged it was probably just a coincidence.   
  


"A lot of Mutants are going underground now." Ranma said as he and Marina ate at their table. "The sentinel program hasn't even started yet and they're heading into the sewers. Xavier let me use cerebro and I was going to head underground and basically hand out gene blocking suits."   
  


"Isn't that expensive?" Marina asked. "Those gene blocking suits cost Charles a lot of money. Can you afford to just hand them out?" Ranma nodded.   
  


"Charlie's got his sources. He's the one who suggested it in the first place. It's all for a greater cause, so he doesn't mind spending the extra money on it." Marina smiled.   
  


"You have to admire Xavier's vision." Ranma nodded. "He's a great man. I think he's got a thing for Nodoka too."   
  


Ranma laughed. "I'd trade in my dad for Charlie any day." Ranma then looked a little saddened by the subject of his father. "I feel kind of bad messing with his mind so drastically. Nobody should be able to do what I did to him."   
  


Marina smiled and squeezed Ranma's arm reassuringly. "Don't worry Ranma. It'll all work out in the end." Ranma cheered up a little bit.   
  


"Yeah I guess you're right. He would never have changed on his own." Marina nodded.   
  


"Let's try to get off such depressing subjects. What did you do while you were in New York yesterday?" Marina asked. Ranma shrugged his shoulders.   
  


"I learned some stuff off of Charlie. He taught me a little more about what I can do with my powers and about the Astral Plane. He also gave me some more Gene blocking suits to hand out. I already gave one to Leyu."   
  


Marina frowned. "Yeah. What's her deal? It's a good thing she's gone."   
  


Ranma chuckled nervously. "I wouldn't say that. I actually asked her to join us in helping the mutant/human cause. I'm starting up my own branch of X-Men here in Japan." Marina began to fume. "I asked Leyu already and I'll be asking Daisuke today." Marina frowned and crossed her arms over her chest.   
  


"I don't suppose you planned on telling me this anytime soon now did you?" Marina asked icily. Ranma gulped.   
  


"Actually I was thinking of asking you if you wanted to join now Rina. How about it.?" Marina frowned but Ranma was putting on the puppy dog eyes big time and she just couldn't say no to those huge sky blue orbs.   
  


Marina sighed. "Fine."   
  


"YES!" Ranma said in triumph. "I knew you'd agree." He said proudly.   
  


"I'm sure you did....Speaking of that...What else do you know about me?" She asked with a suspicious gaze fixed on the pigtailed boy.   
  


Ranma wiped his mouth and sighed. He patted his belly and stood up from the table. "Well I'm full. Lets go meet up with Daisuke." Marina growled and stood up chasing after the boy.   
  


"YOU'RE _AVOIDING_ THE QUESTION RANMA!!" She yelled as she followed him. Ranma broke into a run and burst out of the restaurant laughing.   
  


"I ain't gonna teeeeell!!" He called back to the snake skinned girl with the image inducer.   
  


"GET BACK HERE YOU JERK!!"   
  


*****************   
  


Ranma sighed as he lay back with his arms outstretched on the beach. Marina lay beside him with a similar look of peacefulness and serenity. She had already given up chasing Ranma and the two had just dropped down on the sand and stared at the clouds as they passed by. Marina had decided to drop the image inducer since there was nobody else present on the stretch of beach that they were on. The sun was shining through patches of clouds and glistened off of her scales the different shades of green were hypnotic and Ranma could barely take his eyes off of it. Whenever she looked over to him he would look back up to the clouds though.   
  


"Are we going to call Daisuke yet?" Marina asked.   
  


Ranma shook his head. "Naw. I'd rather wait a bit. I'm comfortable. I think Daisuke's off terrorizing some fishermen on the other side of the bay or something."   
  


Marina looked a little confused. "Why would he do that? They're gonna think he's Gojira or something."   
  


Ranma chuckled. "Heh heh, Yeah. That's what they said on the radio. Dai's been adjusting to his powers fairly well."   
  


Marina frowned. She didn't know if it was a good idea to scare people out of their wits all the time they might actually get violent. "Well I think you should call him. We have to give him his suit before the Sentinels are online. We don't want any more mu...."   
  


"Yeah, Yeah! Okay already. I'll call him." Ranma said, cutting off her nagging. "Sheesh." Ranma stood up, his back and ponytail covered in sand. He glowed with Telekinetic energy for a moment and all of the sand was thrown off of his body. He walked up to the water and sent out a signal into the waters. "Hey Dai! I've got your gene blocking suit ready. You know where we are." Ranma sensed the mental agreement on the other end of his psychic hotline and smiled. He turned back to Marina and mock bowed. "The task is done milady. What dost thou wish of me now?"   
  


Marina frowned and pointed at him. "First of all you can stop talking like that. You sound like That idiot Kuno." Ranma shivered and realized that she was right.   
  


"Eew! You're right."   
  


"Well, Well. If it isn't my son in law." came a withered old voice from the bushes behind Marina.   
  


Ranma groaned. "I should have known you two would have shown up. Your laws demand it."   
  


Cologne, matriarch of the Chinese amazons known as the Neiucheizu hopped through those bushes and entered the sandy area that Ranma and Marina were on. Her great granddaughter Shampoo, champion warrior of the same village. "So it appears you know our laws well boy, or is it girl?" Asked the old woman.   
  


Ranma frowned. "I'm all man lady. Curses be damned!" Cologne hopped forward on a gnarled wooden cane and inspected the boy.   
  


"I take you have fallen into the springs of Jusenkyo then. The Nyanichuan?" She asked.   
  


"Yeah that's right." Ranma replied, crossing his arms across his chest. "But I ain't marrying Shampoo. No matter what your laws say. We're in Japan, not China." Cologne ignored most of what Ranma said and decided to dwell on only a fragment of it.   
  


"So you already know my daughter. I'm actually quite shocked that a boy such as you would not jump at the chance to marry such a fine young lady. Many have fought for her hand you are the first to actually defeat her though." Ranma shrugged.   
  


"I didn't choose to fight her in the first place. I was just trying to get my Pop out of that village before _he_ got engaged to her. He's already married."   
  


"I take it your father has a curse similar to yours then?" Cologne asked. "Very interesting. However that is not the fight I was referring to."   
  


Ranma nodded. "Yeah I know. I thought I'd point it out anyway. She attacked me in school. Not only that, but she used her mutant powers on me. She was going for the kill. I was merely defending myself. It wasn't a formal challenge. Therefore your laws don't have to abide by it."   
  


Cologne smirked at Ranma. "You know our laws well boy. However there is no way you can get out of marrying my daughter. The only way you can get out of it is if you defeat me in combat."   
  


Ranma smirked at the old woman. "You're way out of your league old woman. Your about a hundred years to young to beat me."   
  


Cologne looked a little surprised at what Ranma just said. *How did he know I would say that?* She thought. She shook her head to clear the thought and jumped back with her staff in her hands poised for an attack.   
  


Shampoo sat at the side of the beach watching. Cologne had told her to just sit back and let her handle the airen business. Marina was sitting beside the purple haired girl, her image inducer still off. It figured that Ranma would get into a fight again. He seemed to attract all of the negative attention.   
  


She turned to look at the purple haired girl beside her. "I take it you're the girl they're talking about?" Shampoo nodded.   
  


"Yes. Is law in village that outsider male must marry if defeats woman from village." Marina nodded.   
  


"Ah. I see. Sounds a little two dimensional don't you think?" She asked.   
  


Shampoo shrugged. "Is honorable. Village relies on strength. Shampoo no care. Airen is hunk!" Marina nodded. The purple haired girl had a point.   
  


The girls just sat there for a moment and then Marina decided to speak up. "So you're a mutant?" She asked.   
  


Shampoo shook her head. "Not know what you is talking about. Shampoo is warrior."   
  


Marina shrugged. "Good enough for me." She then turned her attention back to the two martial artists who were getting ready to fight. Marina didn't like the look of the old woman. She looked tricky and was probably going to pull off a few dirty tricks to get Ranma to comply. She smiled though. Ranma was a psychic. He could take anything anyone could throw at him.   
  


Ranma took off his Chinese shirt to reveal the red and black gene blocking, kevlar suit that he wore underneath. "Any time you're ready Cologne." Ranma stated. Getting into a relaxed pose with his hands in his pockets.   
  


Cologne couldn't help but be amazed by the boy's knowledge. He even knew the amazon matriarch's name. "PREPARE YOURSELF!" She called before charging up her chi and leaping towards the pigtailed martial artist.   
  


Ranma put a link up to Colognes mind and began reading off her plans as to what she was going to do. Cologne faked hitting Ranma with her cane while charging up an energy ball of chi in her other hand. Ranma blocked the blow with the staff and spun around to avoid the blast. It rocketed out over the bay and dissipated. Ranma waited for the woman's next attack and wasn't disappointed, she leapt forward with a chestnut fist, her short little arms blurring out of sight in a flurry of lightning fast punches.   
  


Ranma blocked the attack with an amaguriken of his own. Cologne was surprised that Ranma was able to keep up with her but she was unrelenting and continued her attack. She began to spin her staff and it glowed with a blueish aura. She threw it at Ranma but he held out his hands and sent it back towards her with his telekinesis. Cologne yelped and ducked out of the way. Her staff kept going and dug itself deep into the sand of the beach.   
  


Ranma held up his hands and Cologne began to float up into the air. Ranma smiled at the old woman. "Well it looks like I've got the upper hand now doesn't it?" He said mockingly. In the distance Shampoo grinded her teeth in anticipation. Ranma continued. "Who would have thought that I could read your mind? Or that I had vast control over the powers of telekinesis?" He asked as he stood by the surf. Colognes body was completely locked up but her mouth was left open.   
  


"What is this power?" She asked in shock. "What are you?" Ranma almost laughed.   
  


"You amazons should invest in television, you could learn a lot there. You see, I'm a mutant. Just like your grand daughter Shampoo. Those powers of hers aren't a coincidence you know. It's a mutagenic gene known as the x-factor that is recessive in the human DNA until puberty. Quite interesting actually." Marina giggled at Ranma's speech and he winked at her. He turned back his attention to Cologne and then was promptly doused with water.   
  


Ranma stared at the water in Tokyo Bay, a wave had caught him off guard and he lost his concentration when he turned into his red-headed female form. "If the sea could think I would have seen that coming." She grumbled as she pulled some seaweed out of her hair. Marina laughed at Ranma's unfortunate predicament.   
  


Just then Ranma was splashed with something else. It was warm though and was most likely not water. Ranma looked down at Cologne who was holding an intricate bottle of something in her hands, while putting the cap on it. The old woman began to cackle madly. Shampoo covered her mouth in suspense and pulled a bag of popcorn out from behind her. Marina was about to ask where she had gotten it but decided against it, shrugged and took a handful for herself.   
  


"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT STUFF!?!" Ranma screamed at the withered old woman.   
  


Cologne laughed maniacally. "You obviously are not a very skilled telepath if you didn't see that one coming boy! We have mutants in our village, we know of this. This little vial contained a potion that is used to seal the use of ones powers. The fact that you have a Jusenkyo curse is even better because it also locks the user of the potion in whatever form they are currently in, that is until you use the cure. Wich I happen to have right here with me." With that Cologne pulled out another vial with another potion inside.   
  


"GIVE THAT TO ME!!" Ranma yelled as she leapt at the woman. She jumped out of the way however and knocked her into the sand with her cane which she had retrieved from the ground.   
  


Cologne smirked at Ranma as she creased her eyebrow trying to summon up her mutant powers. Nothing happened and she glared death at the old woman. "I'll give you the potion however, if you promise to marry my granddaughter." Cologne said.   
  


Ranma growled. "I don't take kindly to blackmail lady. The moment I get my powers back ..."   
  


Cologne laughed, cutting Ranma off. "You can't get your powers back without marrying my Shampoo and getting the potion! There is no other way!"   
  


"Damn you!" Ranma growled. "I'll get you for this!"   
  


Cologne motioned for Shampoo to follow her. "If you change your mind and decide to marry Shampoo We are residing at the Neko-Hanten in Nerima district." Cologne then cackled and leapt through the same bushes she had entered the beach in. Shampoo waved to Marina and Ranma politely and then followed after her grandmother.   
  


Marina rushed over to Ranma's fallen side and helped her to her feet. "Are you okay?" She asked.   
  


"Do I _LOOK_ Like I'm _OKAY_!?!" She asked angrily. "I'm stuck in my GIRL FORM! I've lost my powers, and I have to marry some chick I've never met just to get back to normal! Of _course_ I'm not okay!" Marina reeled back but never took her arms off of Ranma. When the boy was upright she grabbed her in a hug.   
  


"Don't worry Ranma. We'll find some way to get you back to normal. If we can't do it without you having to marry Shampoo, there's always divorce." Ranma had to smile at that.   
  


"Thanks Marina."   
  


Just as the two women embraced a monstrous two story form with two heads walked up the surf and gazed down at them in confusion. "Where's The Male Ranma?" Asked Daisuke in wonder, looking around for the male Ranma.   
  


"IT TOOK YOU LONG ENOUGH!!" Ranma yelled at the two headed monster. "IT WOULD HAVE BEEN REEEEAAL NICE IF YOU COULD HAVE SHOWN YOUR UGLY MUG ABOUT A MINUTE EARLIER!!" Ranma stormed off of the beach after picking up her Chinese shirt and Marina followed her.   
  


Daisuke just stood there staring after them. "I missed something important didn't I?" He mused to himself in his monstrous raspy voice. He looked over and then saw the gene blocking suit that Ranma had brought for him. "Alright! My new duds!" Daisuke then rushed over to put them on, not realizing that there was a family entering the beach just then. He pulled on the suit and muttered under his breath. "I am _Not_ ugly!"   
  


****************   
  


Ranma groaned as she lye on the couch at home. Her mother was sitting beside her on a chair and Genma in his female form was sitting beside her. "Ranma? Do you want to talk about it?" Nodoka asked. Ranma shook her head.   
  


"There's not much to say. I'm stuck as a girl and my powers have been taken away. The only way I can get them back is by marrying some Chinese Amazon girl named Shampoo."   
  


Nodoka smiled. "That doesn't sound too bad. I always wanted grandchildren. I think it would be kind of fun. We could have a really nice wedding in the dojo, we wouldn't even have to decorate we could just set the danger room functions to make it look pretty. We could invite all of my friends, family, maybe some of your friends at school."   
  


"Mom?" Ranma asked trying to break through the fantasy that the woman was trying to make a reality.   
  


She didn't hear. "I could get Mr. Shosuro to do the ceremony. He did mine and your fathers. My grandfather Masaki could come."   
  


"Mom!?" Ranma tried again, to no avail.   
  


"Marina could be the flower girl. Evan better we could have it at my grandfather's shrine, it's quite beautiful there. Maybe we could..."   
  


"MOM!!!!" Ranma yelled, finally breaking through the daydream that she was rambling on about.   
  


"Hmm? What is it dear?" She asked.   
  


"I don't want to marry her. " The redheaded girl said. "I don't even know her and I...am...too young. Besides Dad already engaged me to Kasumi right?" Genma pounded a fist into her other palm.   
  


"Oh yeah! I forgot all about the engagement! I'll have to arrange the wedding for next week with Tendo." Genma went to get the phone so he could call Soun but Ranma grabbed her by the ghi and yanked her down to a sitting position beside her mother again.   
  


"You're. Not. Listening to ME!" She said with a fiery glare. "I don't want to marry ANYONE yet! I just want to live my life. I already have enough trouble with the Sentinels coming to Japan. I don't need a SECOND FIANCEE!"   
  


Nodoka sighed. "Ranma, you may not believe this but...your father and my marriage was arranged. And just look how well it turned out." She said hoping to cheer Ranma up about the whole situation.   
  


Ranma looked a the couple for a second and then moaned "That's IT! I am only marrying a girl I want to marry. To hell with all arranged marriages!" Ranma then got up off the couch and headed into the kitchen.   
  


Hank was currently in the kitchen by himself cooking up a storm. Almost literally it looked like he wasn't doing to good, a cloud of black smoke was billowing from one of the pots on the stove and some sort of black goo was coming out of it. Hank took the pot off of the stove and set it aside while he went back to work on the other things that were cooking, which didn't seem to be near as bad.   
  


"Having fun?" Ranma asked sarcastically. Hank couldn't smile. He was too frustrated.   
  


"I don't get it. I was trying to make some icicle pickles but I left it on too long for too high or something." Hank stirred something in one pot for a moment and then closed the lid. "Could you take the lid off that pot and pour that wasted stuff down the sink?" He asked.   
  


Ranma shrugged. "Sure. Why not?" She picked up a pair of oven mitts and grabbed the lid. She lifted it straight up but the black goo that was inside had stuck to the lid and rose with it, hardening in only a few seconds, creating a pillar of black crystalline goo. Ranma looked at the thing and then at Hank. "I think it's safe to say that this is your _last_ time in the kitchen." Hank looked at the pillar of...stuff and adjusted his foggy glasses.   
  


"Oh my Stars and Garters, I believe that you are correct."   
  


AN:{This actually happened at my house once. My Mom was making icicle pickles like every year but she went out shopping and forgot the stove on. Me and my brother came in the house later smelling this rancid liquid darkness and lifted the lid off. The lid was literally held up by all that crap. I laughed a good long time because it was about three feet from the initial pot. On with the story: Morden Night}   
  


Ranma took off his oven mitts and left the kitchen. He walked up the stairs to Marina's room and knocked on the door. Marina's voice came from the other end telling whoever was at the door to wait a moment and then she appeared at the door a moment later. She smiled when she saw that it was Ranma. "Hey Rammie." She said happily.   
  


"Is it all right if I can come in?" He asked.   
  


Marina composed herself and opened the door fully so that Ranma's female form could come in. "Oh. Of course Ranma." Ranma walked in and sat on her best friend's bed. She looked around and noticed that Marina had made a few changes to her room. There was posters of movie stars like Jackie Chan and Jet Li, animes as well as a poster of Ranma in both her male and female forms. Ranma looked at that one for a bit.   
  


Marina, noticing that Ranma was looking at the poster of herself, decided to explain. "I found a few pictures of you in both your forms and got this poster made. Pretty neat huh?" She asked. Ranma nodded.   
  


"Where'd you make this?" She asked as she continued to study the oversized picture.   
  


Marina shrugged. "I found this place that blows up and makes posters out of pictures and stuff. I thought it'd be neat to try. Nodoka made one of Genma too, it looks weird because his male half looks nothing like his female form though." Ranma nodded. Marina walked over to the bed and sat down beside the boy turned girl. "Do you got something on your mind Ranma?" She asked.   
  


Ranma sighed and folded her arms across her chest. "I'm just confused. I can't think of any way to get that potion without marrying Shampoo. I don't want to marry some chick just because I beat her in a fight. I want to make my own future, not have everyone run it for me to fit their schedules." Ranma threw her body back and lay on the bed. "I don't know what to do!" Marina shifted her body so that she was sitting cross legged and facing Ranma.   
  


"Ranma. You have to do what you feel is right. You should probably tell the police about it or something."   
  


Ranma rolled her eyes and propped herself up on her shoulders. "Sure. I'll tell them that some old lady stole my mutant powers, and turned me into a girl and I can't get the cure until I marry her daughter."   
  


Marina shrugged. "It was just a thought. Why don't you want to marry Shampoo? Most guys would kill to be engaged to a babe like her." Ranma frowned.   
  


"Well I guess I'm the exception then. I don't want anyone dictating my life. Marriage is till death do you part. I don't want a commitment like that unless I mean it. She's just following some 3000 year old Chinese law made by some senile old man."   
  


Marina looked inquisitive. "Was the man really senile?" She asked.   
  


Ranma shrugged. "How should I know? You'd have to be to make up a law _that_ dumb." Marina nodded.   
  


"That's a good point." She paused for a moment. "Do...you have somebody else in mind?" She asked. Ranma sputtered.   
  


"W...WHAT!?" She asked, shooting up to a sitting position. "What do you...mean?" She asked.   
  


Marina smiled mischievously. "I'm right aren't I? You don't want to marry Shampoo because you like somebody else! I'm right! Admit it!" She said.   
  


Ranma jumped off of the bed and looked flustered. "Don't be silly! I just don't want to get married!" Marina smiled widely.   
  


"I KNEW IT! You like some other girl and THAT'S why you don't want to marry Shampoo!" Just then the door opened up and Nodoka and Genma-chan came in.   
  


"Oooh My little boy's in love! I'm so happy! Who is she? We'll have the wedding in a week." Nodoka said as she entered. Ranma was extremely agitated and a furious blush spread across her face.   
  


"DON'T YOU KNOCK!?! I'M NOT IN LOVE!!" Ranma yelled while trying to desperately cover up her blushing face.   
  


Just then Hank came into the room. "I've finished dinner. Now what is this about Ranma being in love? I didn't know he was getting married next week. Why didn't somebody tell me?" He asked.   
  


Ranma pulled at her hair. "I'M NOT GETTING MARRIED!! Are you people ALWAYS EAVESDROPPING!?!" Ranma ran out the room and jumped out a window. She landed lightly on her feet and ran out of the Saotome property rushing towards Nerima district, hopping over rooftops. *I HAVE TO GET THAT POTION!!* Ranma thought, desperately trying to escape his family and friends constant questions.   
  


Back at the Saotome house Marina pouted as she watched Ranma run away through the window. "He didn't tell me who he liked." She noted. She paused for a moment, just watching the quickly disappearing Ranma Saotome. She then turned to look at Hank. "Did you say dinner was ready?"   
  


****************   
  


After asking a few people for directions along the way Ranma found the Neko-Hanten, or Cat Cafe. She dropped from the roof and kicked the door to the establishment in. "COLOGNE!" She yelled. "I'M HERE FOR THE POTION!"   
  


The gnarled and withered form of Cologne came out of the back room a moment later hopping on her equally gnarled and withered staff. Ranma glared at the woman. "A son in law. I didn't expect you to be here so early. I didn't think you'd be here till tomorrow. I hadn't realized you were so infatuated with my granddaughter." Ranma growled.   
  


"I ain't here to marry your granddaughter! I'm here for the potion!" Cologne pulled a small vial from out of her robes and looked at it.   
  


"Well the deal was that you could only get it if you married my granddaughter so that is what you are here for." Cologne then put the vial back in her robe. Ranma ran forward and threw a kick at the withered old broad. She blocked it with her staff and then used it again to send her flying back out the door.   
  


Ranma bounced back in and lit her fists afire with red chi. "KATCHU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN!" She yelled, sending thousands of lightning fast punches at the old woman. She lit her staff aflame with a very similar looking chi and spun it around, creating a chi barrier that protected her from each punch.   
  


"Your anger is getting the best of you boy!" She said disapprovingly. "You'll never beat me if you fuel your fights with your anger and hatred. Those are tools for the weak." Ranma calmed down visibly and smirked.   
  


"You're a fool old woman. I know almost every amazon trick in the book. I've picked them all from your own mind while I was training in China. You can't stop me." Ranma then leapt forward and threw another amaguriken at the woman. She spun the staff around again, much like she had before, blocking all of the red haired girl's blows.   
  


Cologne laughed. "Is that all you've got boy!?" She taunted.   
  


Ranma shrugged and pulled out a vial from inside her own shirt. "For now yeah. I got what I came for." Cologne's eyes bugged out as she stared at the vial in the girls hands.   
  


"How did...?" She stuttered.   
  


Ranma smiled. "All of those amazon tricks have got a flaw or weakness. The Tiger's Eye Shield only covers one area. I merely had to go under it."   
  


Cologne smiled as Ranma poured the water on her head. "Very good son in law. You're more perceptive than I thought. Even without your Telepathic abilities. But do you really think I'd have the real vial on me?"   
  


Ranma stared at the woman in shock as she realized that she hadn't changed back, nor could she sense her powers return. Cologne pulled another vial out of her robes. "Could it be this one?" She asked with a smile. She then dropped it to the floor and pulled out another one. "Or this one?" She then dropped it and pulled out another. "Or this one? Or this one? Or this one? Or this one?" She continued to pull vial after vial out of her robes and tossing the previous ones to the ground. They began to pile up at her feet until the pile of vials on the floor was nearly as big as Cologne herself.   
  


"No." Ranma muttered to herself. "This can't be happening."   
  


Cologne cackled to herself. "Face it son in law. You are beaten! You have no choice but to marry my daughter to get the real potion." Ranma looked to the floor in defeat. He noticed Shampoo standing behind the counter where the kitchen was watching, with a bag of popcorn in her hands.   
  


Ranma felt a rumbling and heard a humming sound. Before she could question what she heard there was a crash that rocked the very foundation and nearly knocked her off of her feet. A large metallic hand then came through the wall and forcefully tore the roof off of the Neko Hanten. Ranma stared at the monstrosity above and her face fell.   
  


The goliath was at least four stories tall, made all of metal, coloured in red and black, unlike the purple and pink of the ones in the US. "It's a sentinel." Ranma said in surprise.   
  


He could see three more of the gigantic robots looming behind the first. The one that tore the roof off then reached down into the restaurant towards Shampoo. The computer in it's mind only displaying the words: "Mutant Gene detected. Proceed with elimination."   
  


****************   
  


Author's Notes: {Well ain't this a surprise! You'd think that I'd take it easy and make use of the lounge chair I got for Christmas. But instead, I sit at the computer for five hours or so, writing the next chapter to Astral Minds, while I listen to all the new CDs I got for Christmas. I got the entire thing done in one day so you don't see me complaining. I'm getting good at this(I think). Oh well. It's quite a mess Ranma's gotten into with the Chinese Amazons. I'll bet nobody even knows what Shampoo's REAL power is yet. I haven't even told you yet you all probably think you know EXACTLY what it is. I'm so two dimensional as to just give it away. No! I want to keep you hanging. This is just getting fun. The sentinels have finally shown up, Ranma's stuck in his curse, and everyone is pressuring Ranma to tell them who he likes. I'll bet you're also surprised that Ryoga hasn't shown up yet eh? I read over all of Astral Minds and I thought that I already introduced him but I haven't. I'll try to throw him in sometime. As for Ranma's powers, they're still developing and we'll be seeing a little bit more of Charlie too. That's enough from me. BYE!!}   
  


Morden Night: anime_morden@crystal-tokyo.com 

I've got a new site coming out for those who can't access sites with underscores in the URL it's at: 

also, check out Anihigh, an online RPG about a high school, full of anime like characters, mutants, elves, orcs, goblins, vampires, dhampirs, half breeds, dragons, driders, mages, telepaths, and ANYTHING ELSE, except anything that is blatantly ripped off from other anime's like Saiyans, at:   
  


Chow!   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	9. BIG Trouble

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Astral Minds   
  


Disclaimer: Ranma ½ and all related characters do not belong to me. None of the X-Men belong to me either.   
  


* *: Thoughts   
  


Capital letters: Shouting or loud noises   
  


{ }: Author's own thoughts   
  


_ _: Stressed words   
  


[ ]: Chinese Language   
  


: Psychic Projections   
  


Chapter 9   
  


BIG Trouble   
  


Ryoga Hibiki walked along the side of a road looking at a map sideways. Some people pointed this out to him along the way and he would just smile sheepishly, turn the page so that it was upside down or on the other side and continue on his way...the wrong way. When he always ended up in the wrong location than where he was trying to go he would generally blame it on whoever had pointed him in the wrong direction...the people who actually pointed him in the _right_ direction.   
  


"Where the HELL am I?" He asked to himself, Annoyed. He stopped in his tracks and looked again at the map he was reading. He looked up at a road sign and then back down at the map...which was now upside down. "CRAP! I must have gotten a map of Alaska again!" He crumpled the map up and threw it away.   
  


Ryoga looked up at the sign and sighed. "At least I'm in the right country this time. That's definitely Japanese." Ryoga began walking again but the ground began rumbling and threw him a little off balance. "AAAH CRAP ANOTHER EARTHQUAKE!!" He yelled. The rumbling stopped as soon as it started and people around were looking at the bandanna clad youth funny.   
  


Ryoga looked around sheepishly and put his hand behind his head, laughing nervously. "Heh heh. Guess I was wrong." He said. Everyone just kept looking at him and Ryoga blushed. He twiddled his thumbs for a moment and then snapped his head around when he heard a scream.   
  


"What the..." Ryoga then noticed that there was four gigantic red and black robots standing just a block or so away. One of them was slouched over a building with no roof and had a girl trapped in it's huge metallic grip. "HOLY!!" Ryoga took his umbrella off of his large pack and leapt to a nearby rooftop heading to the rescue of the girl.   
  


***************   
  


Ranma stood helpless as he watched Shampoo get grabbed by the four story metallic monster. She couldn't believe she was powerless on her first encounter with these things. Shampoo screamed at the top of her lungs as the sentinel began to squeeze. She tried to use her powers, to change and get out of there but she couldn't concentrate.   
  


Ranma snapped out of her revery when she heard Shampoo scream. She faced Cologne and glared at her. "Find that potion to change me back! I can deal with these things easily if I have my powers!" Ranma then charged her fists with Chi and leapt towards the hand that the Sentinel had Shampoo in. "LET HER GO!!!" She screamed as she soared through the air and landed on it's wrist. Ranma let loose an Amaguriken on the hard metal surface and yelped in pain. "What's that thing made of!?!" She said in surprise as she dropped to the ground.   
  


Shampoo whimpered as she felt herself begin to slip away. The grip on the Sentinel tightened with every passing second. She looked down sadly towards Ranma and then forced a smile. "Airen." She whispered before passing out.   
  


Ranma couldn't tell from where she was standing but it looked like the Sentinel had crushed her and she was dead. Her head lay limp as the Sentinel raised it's fist. Ranma growled and just as she was about to attack again. A figure screamed out in rage and leapt overhead towards the sentinel.   
  


"MONSTEEEEERRR!!"   
  


Ryoga Hibiki leapt from a standing telephone pole straight towards the Sentinel with his umbrella unsheathed and ready to strike. He came down upon the Sentinel's hand that held the purple haired amazon and sliced through it. The large metallic fist dropped to the ground making a huge dust cloud as it impacted with the rubble of the Neko Hanten. Ryoga rushed over to the hand that still held Shampoo firmly and grabbed the fingers, tearing them off in a display of inhuman strength. Shampoo fell from the grasp of the huge hand as soon as the fingers were torn off and Ryoga caught her limp form.   
  


The sentinel reeled back with the loss of it's limb and then looked at Ryoga, and Ranma. "Hostile subjects non-mutant, proceed with elimination." came the word on the sentinel's screen.   
  


Ryoga and Ranma looked up at the Sentinel's as they raised their arms towards their direction. "Oh CRAP!" Ranma yelled. Ryoga cradled Shampoo in his arms and jumped out of the way just as the sentinels fired bright orange lasers from their palms at them. Ranma and Cologne also jumped out of the way but the vials that Cologne had pulled out had caught the blast.   
  


"NO!" She cried out as she saw the vials shatter from the explosion that ensued after the blast. "THE REAL VIAL WAS IN THAT PILE!" She called out to Ranma.   
  


"WHAT!?!" Ranma screamed at the old lady. Ranma growled and tore her Chinese shirt off of her body revealing the gene blocking suit that she always wore underneath it. She held up her left arm and pressed her thumb on the back of her wrist. "Hank? You better be hearing this! I've got sentinels after me and a few other people. I could really use some backup since MY POWERS ARE GONE!" Ranma let go and then jumped out of the way just as a barrage of laser fire erupted in her direction.   
  


Ryoga jumped over to where Ranma was and jumped alongside her dodging the laser fire. "YOU GIRL'S NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE! THIS ISN'T A PLACE FOR LADIES TO BE!" He yelled at Ranma. Ranma frowned.   
  


"THANKS FOR THE ADVICE! I'LL KEEP IT IN MIND WHEN I END UP PULLING _YOUR_ ASS OUT OF THE FIRE!" she yelled. She leapt to the wall that was barely standing up and rebounded herself towards the Sentinel that had grabbed Shampoo. "TAKE THIS!" She screamed at it. "MOKO TAKABISHA!!!" Ranma charged up and let loose a blast of chi towards the sentinel. The ball of chi impacted with the side of it's head and caused a huge explosion. Ranma dropped to the ground and smiled. "YES!"   
  


Her smile faltered however when she saw that it had only taken out a small portion of the Sentinel's face, and it was still operational. She then jumped away as a barrage of laser blasts came towards her.   
  


Ryoga was having his own problems. They currently had about two sentinels directed towards each of them. Ryoga jumped up and rebounded off of a telephone pole, just barely evading another blast from the sentinels. *How the HELL am I gonna be able to attack this thing if I have to carry this girl around the whole time!?* he lamented to himself in his mind. Ryoga all of a sudden found himself alone.   
  


"WHAT THE...?" He said realizing that Shampoo just up and disappeared. He looked around desperately trying to find her and then saw the old woman running away with her. Ryoga smiled. "Just the distraction I needed."   
  


Ryoga saw that one of the sentinels decided to split from it's partner and go after the girl. The other one stayed on Ryoga though. Ryoga stood still smirking at the sentinel that was after him and then jumped towards it, over the laser blast it let off moments later. He kicked it as hard as he could, putting a dent in it's face and sending him towards the 

other one, after the girl. Ryoga pulled out his umbrella and sliced down the back of it's head right down to it's shoulders.   
  


The other sentinel raised it's hands towards Ryoga and let off a double laser shot. The blast struck the sentinel that Ryoga was standing on right at the base of it's neck and it's head exploded. Ryoga jumped off and down to the ground, out of harm's way.   
  


Ryoga smiled as he watched the sentinel fall to the ground. He went pale though when he realized that there were people right in it's landing spot.   
  


The people fled panicked as they saw their impending doom come in the form of a large headless sentinel, obeying the laws of gravity. Just as it was about to hit, it stopped. And moved to the side where there wasn't any people. The people under looked up at their saviour in shock.   
  


There, standing where the sentinel was going to land stood Daisuke, a large two headed monster, that stood just over two stories tall, wearing a dark purple gene masking suit, with a long tail whipping back and forth. Daisuke bowed to the people showing off his first super-heroic display.   
  


The people looked at Daisuke for a moment and then burst out screaming in terror. All the people fled from the area at the sight of Daisuke, who looked confused. "I just saved your lives! I'm not Gojira! AAAARGH!!"   
  


Daisuke collapsed to the ground in pain, his back smoked from the laser blast he had just took from the Sentinel. He wasn't dead though. Both of Daisuke's monstrous heads glared at the four story robot and he got to his feet leaping at it in rage. Ranma smiled as he saw Daisuke leap at the Sentinel.   
  


"ALRIGH...when did he grow a tail?" She asked to no one in particular.   
  


Ranma yelped and jumped out of the way as another laser blast streaked towards her. "DON'T THESE THINGS EVER GET TIRED OF THOSE LASERS!?!" he yelled in annoyance. She rushed towards the sentinel and jumped at it's chest. "MOKO TAKABISHA REVISED!! TEN CLAW STRIKE!" She called as she powered up another chi blast. When she let it loose however it split into ten smaller versions of the Moko Takabisha and struck the sentinel in several different places.   
  


The sentinel never fell though and advanced once again to attack Ranma. It was a horrible mess though, it had half of it's face torn off, revealing the interior, one hand missing, and now at least twenty smaller holes covering it's arms and chest. "CRAP!" Ranma whined when she realized that it wasn't dead yet. Ranma was about to jump out of the way when a huge blast of atomic fire melted through the sentinel's head.   
  


Sunpyre, then flew through the same hole in the Sentinel's chest and smiled. "The cavalry has arrived!" She stated. She then moved over to let loose another blast towards the other sentinel that Ryoga was currently jumping around like an irritating flea. She got cocky however and didn't notice the other sentinel come up behind her. "PREPARE TO BE...!!"   
  


WHAM   
  


Sunpyre fell to the ground in pain from the blow that had been dealt to her by the last sentinel. Ranma noticed the girl falling to the ground and leapt to catch her. She caught the other girl in mid air landed and then dodged a laser blast from one of the sentinels. She landed behind a wall with Leyu cradled in her arms.   
  


Daisuke's two massive heads smiled as he held on to the back of the sentinel that was trying desperately to knock him off. "TIME TO SEE IF THESE CLAWS ARE AS SHARP AS THEY LOOK!!" He growled as he raised his clawed hand up to strike the Sentinel. He swung and tore open the back of the giant robot. He then began swinging repeatedly. Tearing into it's body deeper and deeper.   
  


The sentinel fell forward as Dai cut the main power supply and landed with a crash overtop of a small house. Daisuke sat there smiling for a moment before jumping off and running over to the last standing sentinel. "This is a piece of cake!" He said to himself as he leapt straight at the massive machine. The sentinel tried to hit Ryoga who was jumping around on the ground dodging laser blasts and accidentally hit Daisuke with a double blast right in the chest.   
  


"CRAAAAPPP!!!" Daisuke screamed as he was flung into the ground, where he made a large crater.   
  


Ryoga all of a sudden realized that he was alone, against a huge robot, Just then two giant two headed monsters jumped towards the sentinel with claws extended. Ryoga boggled as he watched the two creatures topple over the robot and tear it apart. "This is way to weird." He muttered to himself.   
  


***************   
  


Later on at the Saotome household. Ranma, Marina, Hank, Ryoga, Leyu, Cologne, Shampoo, and Nodoka sat around the kitchen table. Shampoo was silent and looked a little shy, though that was hard to imagine with a girl who could rip through solid concrete like it was nothing.   
  


"I'm terribly sorry for not being able to get you that potion son in law." Cologne said sheepishly. "If I had known that this would happen I never would have done so. I'll contact my village immediately to get you another vial."   
  


Ranma smiled. "Thanks. What I'd really like to know right now is what Shampoo's mutant power is. I remember her taking on feline characteristics earlier when she first attacked me..."   
  


Shampoo blushed. "Sorry."   
  


Ranma shrugged. "It happens. Anyway, today when Daisuke and the Daisuke look alike finished off the last sentinel one of them turned back into Shampoo. Are you just a shape shifter?" Shampoo shrugged.   
  


"Not know. Shampoo able to change ever since little girl." Shampoo replied.   
  


Cologne chuckled and set the cup of tea she had been drinking down. "Shampoo has had her mutant powers much longer than most. She gained them in the wilderness when she was attacked by a tiger. From then on she was able to take on the form of that same tiger, she also took some of it's agility. Later on she found out that she could take the form and powers of any living thing she touched. She touched your monstrous friend when she came to and took on his form."   
  


Ranma nodded. "Interesting. You say she takes on powers, such as mutant powers and attributes?"   
  


Cologne nodded. "That's right. She's only able to take those forms and attributes for short periods of time. The longest she can go in any form is five minutes so far. She can go up to an hour in the form of the tiger though since she's been changing in and out of that form since she was a little girl."   
  


Ranma smirked menacingly at the old woman. "Are you still going to hold that marriage thing against me? I saved Shampoo and you locked me like this without my powers." Ranma said as she motioned to her current female form. "If anything Ryoga here should marry her." She said as she put her hands on Ryoga's shoulders. "After all if it weren't for him she would be dead."   
  


Ryoga, who was sitting beside Ranma, looked shocked and confused. "WHAT!?! Why should I marry her!?" He asked. "All I did was save her life! It's a martial artist's duty to protect those who can't protect themselves!"   
  


Ranma chuckled. "Well what about it Cologne? What would you say to being married to Ryoga here Shampoo?" He asked with a mischievous smile.   
  


Cologne nodded her approval. Shampoo looked thoughtful and looked the boy over. "Bandana boy is looking very cute..." She lamented.   
  


Ryoga stood still shocked. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped. *Sh...She thinks I'm......_cute_!?!* He thought in his little direction impaired mind. *I've never been so HAPPY!* Ryoga then got a wistful look on his face as he sat down and began imagining him self raising little mini Ryogas and Shampoos.   
  


Ranma chuckled as he noticed the look Ryoga had on his face. *Heh heh! Still the same old Ryoga from middle school.*   
  


"The boy doesn't seem to mind." Cologne stated. "He's also very strong, we could use that in our tribe. When do you think we could have this challenge?" Cologne asked.   
  


Ranma shrugged. "I'd say in a week. I'll let him stay here until it's official or something." Cologne nodded in agreement. Ranma turned to Ryoga. "Hey Ryoga." Ryoga didn't move he just stared out into space. Ranma sighed and punched him in the face as hard as she could.   
  


Ryoga looked around confused. "Huh? Someone say something?" He asked.   
  


Ranma rolled her eyes. "Hey Ryoga! Welcome back o the land of the living. I was wondering whether or not that insane strength you possess is a mutant power or not." Ryoga looked thoughtful for a moment and then stared at Ranma.   
  


"What's a mutant?" He asked.   
  


Ranma groaned as did a few other people in the room. Ranma moved back a little so that Ryoga could see Marina who was on the other side of her. "This is Marina." Ranma said putting a hand on the snake skinned girl's shoulder. "She is a mutant."   
  


Ryoga leapt back a little bit. "HOLY! That girl's got SCALES!" He said shocked.   
  


Marina looked a little sheepish and sad. Ranma pointed to Hank. "He's a mutant."   
  


Beast nodded towards Ryoga. "Pleasure to meet you."   
  


Ranma then pointed to Leyu, Shampoo, and herself. "Leyu, Shampoo, and I are also all mutants." Ryoga nodded.   
  


"How come you guys look normal though?" He asked confused. "If you guys are mutants like Marina shouldn't you all have scales or something?"   
  


Ranma groaned again. "This'll take a while to explain."   
  


Ryoga furrowed his eyebrows. "Where am I anyway? Who are you? How did you know my name in the first place?" He asked Ranma. "I've been looking for the Saotome household for years now and I don't have time to sit and have tea. I have important business."   
  


"Hold on Ryoga." Ranma said. Stopping the boy from getting up. "What do you need to go to the Saotome house for?"   
  


"Do you know where it is?" He asked. "TELL ME!"   
  


Ranma put her hands up to calm him down. "Hold on Ryoga! Tell us why you want to go there in the first place!" Ryoga frowned but sighed and nodded.   
  


"What the hell! If it'll get you to tell me where it is I guess I might as well get it off my chest. You see it all started back in my old school, with the arrival of this new kid"   
  


{Flashback}   
  


Ryoga is sitting in class waiting for the teacher to start the lesson. The teacher had some new student up at the front of the class who was smiling. The boy had a ponytail that ran just past his shoulders and a school uniform. He was smiling and Ryoga frowned because it reminded him of how much problems he had. It seemed that every student had a better life than him. Everything bad happens to him. The teacher finished introducing the new student and sent him to sit right next to Ryoga, at the empty desk. Ryoga turned away from him to hide his discomfort until he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around to see the new kid looking at him with an extended hand. "Hi." He said in a whisper. "I'm Ranma... Ranma Saotome." Ryoga let a little smile on his face and shook Ranma's hand.   
  


"Ryoga Hibiki." The boy responded casually.   
  


Ranma let go and smiled. "I'm gonna need some friends while I'm here, might as well start with you." He said.   
  


Ryoga smiled. *It would be nice to have a friend. For once.* he thought. After that class Ranma and Ryoga ran down to the lunch room to get their lunches. Neither of them packed lunches and headed to the cafeteria to get some meat buns.   
  


The lunch lady who was handing out the lunches threw it into the air and yelled out. "THIS IS THE LAST PORK BUN!!" Ryoga stared at the flying bun and got ready to leap for it but Ranma was already in the air before he could even react. The pony-tailed boy caught the pork bun and landed lightly. He walked over to Ryoga, unwrapped it and ripped it in half. He gave the larger piece to Ryoga and kept the smaller one for himself.   
  


"Here." He said. "You're probably hungry by now eh?"   
  


Ryoga just stared at the pork bun that Ranma had handed him and thought shocked. *Nobodies ever shared their lunch with me before.* Ryoga smiled at Ranma. "Thank you... friend."   
  


Ranma shrugged and wolfed his down in a few seconds, "No problem. It was just a meat bun."   
  


{Present}   
  


Ryoga had tears in his eyes. "He was the only friend I've ever had! It wasn't only the meat bun, every day he helped me find my way to school, and after a while I was able to find my way around just by him being around." Ryoga was on the verge of crying. "But then he left mysteriously and I never saw him again. The moment he was gone I started getting lost again, nobody would be friends with me and everyone made fun of the fact that I couldn't find my way around. I set out in search of Ranma to find out how he was able to make me find my way...to get rid of my curse. But... following him just gained me another curse.   
  


{Flashback}   
  


Ryoga looked around the valley that he was at, there was many pools of water that stretched as far as his eyes could see. He looked confused. "Where am I now?" He pulled out a map and looked at it while walking forward. "Where is Jusenkyo?" He asked to no one in particular. All of a sudden he fell into one of the bodies of water.   
  


{Present}   
  


Ranma looked bored. "Let me guess you thought you were heading away from the springs and ended up walking right into them."   
  


Ryoga looked amazed. "How did you know?" He asked bewildered.   
  


Ranma groaned. "Let's just call it a lucky guess."   
  


{Flashback.}   
  


Ryoga reached an arm out of the water and grabbed onto the earth pulling himself out of the water. Just then a Chinese man ran out of a little shack and ran towards Ryoga. "Oh honored customer, what you doing here at Jusenkyo?" He asked.   
  


Ryoga looked happy. "Jusenkyo? I made it?" Ryoga then noticed something weird about his voice. "FA SO LA..." Ryoga looked confused at the Jusenkyo guide. "You should put up signs around this place. That water does horrible things to your voice."   
  


The guide looked at Ryoga strangely. "Uuhh do you know what spring you fell into?" He asked.   
  


Ryoga looked inquisitive. "Why what's the difference?"   
  


The guide noticed the sign on the spring he fell into and looked mortified. "Uuhh Sir? You fall into spring of drowned traditional Japanese housewife. Whoever fall into spring take a body of a girl and take on ethics, morals, and values of traditional Japanese Housewife. Very tragic story of Traditional Japanese Housewife what drown here about three weeks ago."   
  


Ryoga looked down at himself and noticed that he sported a pair of breasts. She screamed. And ran away from Jusenkyo as fast as her new legs could take her.   
  


{Present}   
  


Ranma looked confused. "Spring of drowned traditional Japanese Housewife? What does it do to you? From what you told us you were normal just in the body of a girl." Ryoga had tears streaming from his eyes.   
  


"It's the most TERRIBLE CURSE IN THE WORLD!! Especially for somebody like me. I get lost no matter where I go, and if I get splashed with cold water... I get these horrible, HORRIBLE URGES!!!" Ryoga nearly broke down. "I don't know if I can go on, every time I'm in my girl curse I get the urge to cook, clean, fix things and wear FRILLY CLOTHING!!" Ryoga couldn't handle anymore and broke out into full blown tears.   
  


Ranma looked confused. "So what does this have to do with Ranma?" She asked Ryoga, Ryoga sniffled and sat up straight.   
  


"Oh yeah... anyway, The guide caught up with me and told me that Ranma had gotten a similar curse, after he asked me why I was looking for Jusenkyo, and maybe he could help me cope with it. If Ranma turns into a girl then he'd have these same urges right?" Nobody answered and Ryoga looked a little insane. "RIGHT!?!" He asked desperately.   
  


Everyone except Ryoga looked over at Ranma who sighed. "Fine! I'll tell him." Ranma cleared her throat and looked Ryoga in the eye. " Ryoga... I am Ranma Saotome. This is the Saotome household."   
  


Ryoga looked at Ranma in surprise then his eyes started watering up. "After all these years of searching... finally my questions will be answered!" Ryoga grabbed Ranma in a literally bone crushing hug. "OH THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU GOD!!" Ranma, being the martial artist that she was, was able to withstand most of the power of his hug so that it was just choking her and not killing her.   
  


"R...Ryo...ga. You're...ch...ch...choking......." Ryoga let go of Ranma.   
  


"What'd you say?" Ranma took a few deep breaths of air and looked at Ryoga a little saddened.   
  


"Ryoga, the only reason you found you're way around town when I was around was because I was mentally pointing you in the right direction with my telepathy. I don't have the same curse as you either, I just turn into a girl, not a housewife."   
  


Ryoga's face fell from happy to depressed. "Not the same curse...?"   
  


Ranma nodded. "There's no cure for Jusenkyo curses so you'll just have to deal with it in your own way, I'm still dealing with mine and I've had it longer than you have."   
  


Ryoga nodded and then smiled. "Sure. No problem, why don't we have some tea or something... to catch up on old times."   
  


Ranma nodded. "Sure." She then turned to Marina. "Wanna boil some water for the tea?" Marina nodded and got up to go to the kitchen.   
  


Shampoo looked at Ryoga curiously as the rest of the people at the table began talking again, [*I wonder what he looks like as a woman... if he's addicted to cleaning and cooking then he'd make a perfect husband.*] Shampoo picked up a glass of water that she saw sitting on the table and looked at it with a mischievous smirk. [*One way to find out.*] Shampoo stood up and then dumped the glass of water over Ryoga's head. The boy in question's eyes boggled in fear as he realized what had happened, as the change took place his expression did an about face into a Kasumi like smile.   
  


Everyone boggled themselves at the change that took place, instantly Ryoga became the single most beautiful woman that they had every seen, his hair grew to stunning black locks of hair that cascaded over the bandana that he wore. She grew breasts that were just the perfect sise for the frame that she now held, wich was about the same size as Ranma's girl half except a little taller. Ryoga stood up and walked towards the kitchen. "I guess I should go help Marina-chan in the kitchen with the tea." she said pleasantly. Ranma looked after Ryoga with nothing but sympathy.   
  


"That man needs more help than I think I'm able to give." Ranma said.   
  


***************   
  


Ranma sighed as she collapsed onto her bed. Shampoo and Cologne had taken off after she had given Shampoo a gene masking suit, Daisuke headed back to Tokyo bay where he would more than likely be the talk of the news the next day, Leyu flew back to her apartment, His mom and Dad were in bed and Ryoga... Ryoga was in the kitchen cleaning up the Mexican meal that she had made for everyone that night. He went in for tea and came out with at least seven dishes of Mexican decent. Apparently she got lost once when she was looking for the bathroom and ended up in Mexico where she learned how to cook Mexican.   
  


"Man that was good." Ranma groaned as she rolled over heavily and patted her belly. "Feel like I'm gonna esplode." She muttered drowsily. She yawned and then pulled the covers up over her body, not bothering to get changed into her night ware. She was just about to drift off when she heard her door open. "Huh?" Ranma muttered as she turned her head to see who it was.   
  


Her jaw dropped when she saw who. Ryoga Hibiki, fellow Jusenkyo cursed martial artist, was in female form wearing a pink nightgown, carrying Marina's teddy bear, and a pillow. "R...Ryoga?" Ranma asked surprised and shocked, "W...What are you _doing_?" Ryoga blushed and looked a little sheepish.   
  


"Well..." She said, "The guest room is so big and dark, and I feel so alone. You're my only friend and I'd just feel more... comfortable if I could sleep with you tonight." Ryoga-chan blushed as she awaited an answer, expecting Ranma to say no.   
  


Ranma nodded and rolled over so that she was facing the wall. "Fine. Hop in," Ryoga smiled and crawled into bed with Ranma.   
  


"Thank you." She said, cuddling up to the big thick blanket that covered the two girls.   
  


"Yeah whatever. Ranma grumbled. *I can't believe that a guy who can bust up giant robots with his fists is afraid of the dark the moment he's hit with cold water. I'm psychic and I didn't see this coming.* Ranma sat there for a moment listening to Ryoga's breath and eh began thinking. *What... what if his parents ever found out? God I'm glad I'm not in his shoes, the poor guy must be a nervous wreck coming in and out of two personalities all the time.*   
  


"Ranma?" Ryoga asked the red haired girl. Behind her. "Do you think anyone could love a person like me?"   
  


"Eh?" Ranma asked surprised. *That's not the best thing to ask me when were lying in BED of all places.* "Er... what do you mean?" She responded.   
  


Ryoga shifted her position and sighed. "You know what I mean Ranma. Do you think any girl could ever love a man that changes into a woman at the splash of cold water, with no directional sense? I'm not stupid. I know I'd get lost in a room with one door. Now tell me..." Ryoga said as she shifted her body on top of Ranma's, looking her dead in the eyes. "Do you think anyone could love me?"   
  


Just then the door to Ranma's room opened. "Ranma do you know where my toothbrush i..." Marina stared at Ranma and Ryoga. "I.....m sooooorry. I hadn't realized you were _that_ good of friends. I'll find my toothbrush on my own." Marina then exited the room, slamming the door behind her.   
  


Ranma looked confused for a moment and then realized what it must look like from where Marina was standing. "Ranma grumbled and then turned away so that Ryoga couldn't see her face. "Go to sleep Ryoga, we can talk about this tomorrow."   
  


Ryoga sighed, got off Ranma, and nodded. "A...Alright. I'll go to sleep." About five minutes went by before Ryoga spoke up again. "Ranma?"   
  


Ranma groaned. "Whaaaaaat do you want!?"   
  


Ryoga blushed. "You never answered my question. Do you think anyone could love me?" Ranma sat up and glared at Ryoga, who also sat up.   
  


"Ryoga, I am psychic, or at least I was, until Cologne took away my powers and locked me in my female form. I also have a Jusenkyo curse and I'm pretty sure that there's a few girls that've fallen to my charms... You just have to be patient, the right girl _will_ come along. Now go to sleep." With that Ranma plopped herself onto the bed and stole a large amount of the blankets so that there was next to nothing for Ryoga. Ryoga sat there contemplating this.   
  


"Maybe I can find love." She said wistfully.   
  


Ranma nodded. "Uh huh. Great! Sleep! Now!" Ryoga smiled and pulled some of the blankets off Ranma for herself. She then cuddled up to Ranma's back smiling. Ranma jumped up and stood on the bed glaring at Ryoga. "What do you think you're DOING!?!" She said sternly as she breathed heavily.   
  


Ryoga smiled and waved it off. "It's all right Ranma, we're both girls right now. I was just trying to get comfortable."   
  


Ranma frowned. "Yeah well that's what we have pillows and blankets for. Just go to sleep!" Ranma said exasperated. "And don't try anything funny." She warned the black haired Jusenkyo cursed girl as she lay back down and pulled up the blankets.   
  


Ryoga smiled and lay down. Her dreams were pleasant that night, thinking of old times, and the possibility of finding love.   
  


***************   
  


Author's Notes: {Well that be chapter nine of Astral Minds. I kind of rushed this one and I'm not very good with group conversations or fights. Especially fights. I REALLY need help with that. I can do it with one two or even three people but seven or so, not to mention the fact that they all have different proportions and powers. This chapter was difficult. Really love writing and I can come up with the initial ideas but I just have trouble with everything else. I'm going ot re-write Dragon's Bond next and then finish the Saotome Blade. I'm taking things one at a time from now on, doing it all in little sections. I've got a few ideas for Dragon's Bond that'll make things a little less confusing. It's my favorite story, but I just need to write it properly, I'd like to think of these stories as scripts for big budget movies or something along those lines. The vision in my mind is FANTASTIC but portraying that image for others to see is the challenge. Especially when you come up with each chapter on the fly. I'm going to plan out the rest of Dragon's Bond while I do the re write and then add a few more chapters. I'm gonna plan out the first story arc of Astral Minds as well. Then I'm gonna write more Adamantium Rage. It's a great fic...it just needs to be written. I loved the first chapter and was really happy with it, the second was a filler to get people ready for what was going to happen NEXT. That's all for my rant.}   
  


Morden Night: anime_morden@crystal-tokyo.com 


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